Rhythm of My Heart
by thatredheadgirl
Summary: Title Taken from Blake Lewis. Continuation of Rapture of Love. Everything seems to have fallen in place, Steve and Danny are married and have two amazing children. But that's only the beginning, they've still got to get through day to day. But no matter what they were meant to be together and together they can conquer anything.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing pertaining to Hawaii Five-0. The characters and any mentions of the episodes belong to CBS and the creators of the shows. This is purely fictional and I am not making any money from this story.**

_**Author's Note: Hey there guys! I want to thank everyone that reviewed and read the story before this, "Rapture of Love", I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. This is the third story in the series that follows Danny and Steve through life after getting married, getting primary custody of Grace, and adopting a little boy Nathan and yes I would suggest reading "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day" and "Rapture of Love" before you read this one so you have an idea of the back story. Yet again the title was taken from a Blake Lewis song, which I suggest you take a listen to. Like always any errors are mine and I apologize in advance for them. **_

"Jesus Steve we can't keep stalling with this, we need to sit down and figure out in the event that something happens to you or I, who will gain custody of Nathan. He's been here for months; almost a year and we have yet to figure this out. So please sit down so we can figure this out." Danny pleaded hoping that Steve would stop doing the dishes and actually talk to him. They should've changed their wills the moment that Nathan stepped foot into the house, but such as it always was with Steve and Danny, life got in the way.

Steve took a deep breath, not turning from the kitchen sink as he tightly gripped the plate in his hand. Honestly, he wasn't ready for this conversation. He wasn't ready to think about who would look after Nathan if something were to happen to him. "I can't do this right now Danny." Steve said tightly still refusing to turn from the kitchen sink. He heard Danny sigh and stand up, Steve tensed waiting for the moment that Danny put his hands on him. He wasn't ready for this; he was probably never going to be ready for this.

Since the moment Nathan's adoption was official he was Steve's son, there wasn't anyone that was going to love him the way Steve did or do the things with him that Steve did. There wasn't going to be anyone that Steve would trust with Nathan like he did himself (it's purely for the fact that Steve had Danny there to guide him through parenting a three year old). But still Steve wasn't ready to think about Nathan being with someone else. "Babe." Danny gently started deciding to lean his body against Steve's, his arm wrapping around Steve's waist. "I know you don't want to think about someone else raising Nathan, especially when it feels like we just got him; and I know that both of us will do whatever it takes to make sure that we come home to him and Grace every day. But with the nature of our jobs and the enemies we seem to acquire we need to be prepared." Steve sighed and finally turned towards Danny, his reasoning making complete sense to Steve. They did need to be prepared no matter how much Steve didn't like it.

"You're right. Who were you thinking?" Danny smiled softly and reached up kissing Steve softly on the corner of his mouth.

"Honestly as much as I love Mary, I think that Chin would be a viable candidate just for the pure simple fact that he and Malia are married so they could provide him a stable household." Steve thought about it for a moment and it did make sense, Chin would be an excellent option to be Nathan's guardian.

"But then there's also the option of Mary and Chris and Kono." Danny went on applying just enough pressure for Steve to move towards the kitchen table.

"Can't we just pick all of them?" Steve asked smiling hopefully at Danny, who only shook his head at Steve.

"No we actually have to pick someone to be his guardian."

"As much as I want to agree that it should be Chin, he and Malia are trying to start a family and that might be a little too much for them. Mary and Chris could work because she's settling into a new job that doesn't require her to fly across the country all the time and they seem to be getting serious so they could be a good fit for Nathan." Danny nodded twiddling with his pen as he thought about it.

"That's a lot for a couple that's been dating a year, don't you think? Plus there is the slim chance that they could break up and then what would happen?" Danny replied hoping to play devil's advocate. He didn't want to put any pressure on Mary and Chris if they were to approach them with this. Don't get Danny wrong, he loved Mary as if she were his own flesh and blood but he wasn't sure that she was really ready to have this much responsibility. Especially considering that Chris was her first serious relationship in as long as Danny's known Steve. He didn't want to ask that much of Mary.

"She'd be thrilled that we thought she could handle it, I think we should ask her. She's my sister; I would like to think that I know her well enough to know if she can handle this responsibility, which I think she can." Steve replied a severe tightness to his voice that made Danny internally sigh, the last thing he wanted to do was upset Steve this conversation was tough enough as it was.

"Babe relax, you know I love Mary like my own sisters. I'm just saying that she's young and in a semi-new relationship, I don't want her to feel like she has to do this for us. I have no doubts that if push come to ultimate shove that she wouldn't step up to the plate, but I don't want to put that kind of pressure on her. That's why I think Chin is the best option, just because he and Malia are settled in their marriage and wouldn't have to completely change their lives to take Nathan." Steve leaned back and sighed, this was not an easy decision and this back and forth was part of the reason that Steve's been avoiding it since Chris first brought up changing their wills months ago.

"Mary would be hurt if we didn't even try and ask her."

"Look, I know that she's your sister and that you feel as if you have to immediately ask her but you don't. Mary's not the type to get mad about that, she would understand why we didn't go to her. But if you really have to go ahead and ask her." Danny finally conceded motioning with his hand for Steve to call her. Steve shook his head and walked away from the table reaching into his many cargo pockets for his phone leaving Danny at the kitchen table by himself.

Danny watched as Steve paced the lanai his cell phone clutched in one ear as his other hand ran through his hair. Since he was an expert on all things McGarrett, he could tell that the conversation wasn't going as Steve had thought it would and Danny sighed. He knew this conversation was hard enough on Steve; it was never easy having to think about something happened to you after you have kids, but given Steve's history it was probably just that much worse. That's why Danny was trying to make it as painless as possible.

He wanted Steve to feel better knowing that if something did happen then Nathan would be in good hands. He wanted to pick someone that would love Nathan just as much as they did and give him the best upbringing they could. Danny finally stood to make his way out to the lanai to join Steve and possibly make him feel better about this whole situation, but he halted on the way when he saw the family photo hanging behind the desk of all four of them building a sand castle on the beach the first weekend they had Grace after Nathan had moved in. The smiles on their faces were so genuine and the absolute love in Nathan's eyes as Steve sat behind him helping him dump the bucket of sand for one of the pillars brought a smile to Danny's face. Kono had taken the picture when she and Chin arrived for some team bonding.

"That's my favorite picture, the four of us carefree with no worries." Steve replied standing in the sliding glass door. Danny turned and reached out his hand. Steve didn't hesitate and made his way over to Danny wrapping his arms around him from behind his eyes glued to the picture. "Mary said thank you but no. She loves Nathan, but she's not ready to have that much responsibility so you were right." Steve reluctantly agreed squeezing Danny around his waist. "She also told me I was an idiot for thinking that I was required to ask her." Danny couldn't help but chuckle as he turned and gently kissed under Steve's jaw.

"I don't want to tell you I told you so, but I did."

"Gloating is such a bad look for you Danno." Steve lightly joked finally turning away from the picture. They stood there quietly for a few moments before Danny turned in Steve's arms with a look of genuine surprise across his face. "What? Why are you grinning like that?"

"Kono." Danny replied not bothering to answer Steve's questions.

"What about her?"

"She'd be perfect. You know she loves Nathan almost as much as we do and we do owe her a lot. If it wasn't for her it would've taken us much longer to get to this point." Steve thought about it for a moment before he nodded, it did make absolute sense. "I'm gonna call her and see if she wants to come over." Danny replied pulling away from Steve's arms and making his way over to the table where his phone sat. Steve turned and spotted Nathan coming down the stairs rubbing the sleep from his eyes and sniffling.

"Hey buddy, what's wrong?" Steve asked immediately picking him up and rubbing his back.

"I had a bad dream." Nathan whispered, as if he thought Steve would be mad.

"Awe buddy, its okay. Let's get you some warm milk and you can sit with me and Danno for a little bit okay?" Nathan nodded and laid his head on Steve's shoulder. Steve kissed his forehead and walked the short distance into the kitchen. He knew that Nathan was having a tough time realizing that Steve and Danny weren't going to get angry at him for needing them. He was still trying to figure out why he didn't get to see his mommy and daddy but they were working through it with the help of Victoria, who was doing wonders for helping Nathan adjust to being with them.

Steve sat down at the kitchen table with a Sippy cup of warm milk still rubbing his hand up and down Nathan's back. Nathan sipped his milk resting his head on Steve's shoulder. Danny found them like that moments later and he looked at Steve with concern in his eyes. "Bad dream." Steve mouthed looking down at Nathan to see him struggling to hold onto his milk and keep his eyes open.

"Kono's on her way over, is he okay now?" Danny whispered reaching over to smooth Nathan's brunette locks, letting his hand join Steve's on his back. Sometimes Danny wondered what happened in his dreams that kept him up some nights; he wished that he could take away the monsters that haunted his dreams. He wished that he could take away all the pain that Nathan suffered from, so he could be a happy little kid that didn't know the true horrors of the world.

"I'm gonna keep him down here for a little bit to make sure but I think so." Danny nodded and sat down across from Steve holding Steve's free hand, both watching Nathan relax into Steve's warm embrace.

When Kono arrived Nathan looked up and smiled sleepily at Kono when she entered the kitchen. "Hey buddy, what are you doing up?" Kono asked pulling Nathan into her arms when he held out his arms to her.

"I had a bad dream." He replied playing with a lock of her hair.

"Don't worry Auntie Kono's here so the monsters won't bother you anymore." Nathan smiled softly at her and hugged her around the neck. Danny and Steve looked at each other and they knew immediately that they had made the right decision.

"Bed." Nathan murmured into Kono's hair making Kono coo at him and look up at Danny and Steve with a hopeful look on her face. Both looked at each other and nodded watching as Kono carried Nathan up the stairs and out of their sight.

"That right there tells me we're making the right decision." Danny said his fingers toying with Steve's from his position from across the table.

"Yeah Danno, I think so too." Danny tried not to smirk smugly, he really did but he just couldn't help it. "Seriously Danno, gloating is not a good look for you."

"Everything's a good look for me and you know it, you can't resist this hot bod." Danny flirtatiously replied leering openly at Steve, whose response was only to shake and duck his head to hide the smile spread across his face. He loved that Danny could make huge moments like this light to make Steve not think about it so much that he does something impulsive and possibly stupid.

Kono came back down the stairs a couple of minutes later and smiled brightly at them as she sat down at the table. "He is such an awesome little kid, cute too. So what's up? You sounded weird on the phone." Kono started wondering why Danny had called her to come over, she couldn't think about anything that couldn't wait until they saw each other the next morning.

"Um well Steve and I wanted to talk to you about something." Danny started suddenly feeling nervous as to how Kono would react. He looked up at Steve, who shot him a confused look. "We're in the process of updating our wills right and now that we have Nathan, we need to decide who we want to take him in the event that something happens to us and after a long discussion we were wondering if you would be Nathan's guardian?"

"Are you serious?" Kono asked truly shocked, she had not been expecting that one.

"Yes. You were there in the beginning and helped both of us realize what was right in front of us, and you are amazing with Nathan, you seem to draw him out and make him feel comfortable. So it only made sense that you would be the one that took him if something happened to us, if you want to that is." Steve added successfully managing to keep his voice controlled as to not show how nervous he was about this. Kono fell silent for a few moments looking back and forth between Danny and Steve, before her entire face lit up.

"Of course I want to be Nathan's guardian. This is so awesome!" Kono jumped up and pulled Danny into a hug, the smile on her face infectious making both Steve and Danny's faces light up. "Thank you!" She quietly exclaimed pulling Steve into a hug as well.

"Thank you for saying yes." Kono looked at Danny as if she thought he was crazy before lightly knocking her shoulder into his. Steve watched the scene fondly smiling at his ohana.

"Alright well now that you've made my day I'm gonna go and I'll see you guys bright and early tomorrow morning at work, Danny I'll bring the malasadas." Danny smiled and nodded watching her walk happily out of the house leaving Steve and Danny by themselves. Steve stood from the table and held out his hand to Danny.

"You ready for bed?" Steve asked pulling Danny up when he nodded, together they made quick work of making sure all the doors were locked and the alarm was set before they climbed the stairs. They split off Danny going towards Grace's room and Steve towards Nathan's room to check on them, before they switched. Steve grabbed Danny's hand as they walked into their room, a habit he picked up less than a month into their relationship.

Once they were settled in bed Danny wasted no time snuggling up to Steve, resting his head on Steve's chest. "Thank you." Steve whispered trailing his finger up and down Danny's arm.

"For what?" Danny asked moving so that he and Steve were face to face.

"Everything really. You make the difficult things a lot easier to get through. You're amazing like that and I don't know what I would do without you." Steve whispered the sudden onslaught of emotions rocking him to his emotionally stunted core. Danny smiled and rested his forehead against Steve's, they were working on his ability to share his emotions and Danny was thrilled with the progress they were making.

"When are you going to realize that you and I were meant for each other? It's plain to see that you were made especially for me because you compliment me in all the wrong ways but I love you all the same." Danny honestly replied his fingers lacing with Steve's hand and holding them up between them. Steve looked down at their hands and smiled before leaning forward and kissing Danny hard. Danny was right, they were meant for each other; Danny's hand fit perfectly in his, when they cuddled Danny fit just right against Steve's side, and Danny was everything Steve was not and Danny had had Steve's heart from the beginning whether it knew it or not.

_I was meant for you_

_You were meant for me_

_No one else will do_

_It's plain to see_

_I knew this from the start_

_Each and every day_

_That you could have my heart_

_Forever and always_

_**A/N 2: So how was it? I hope you guys enjoyed it and stay tuned for the next chapter. A little warning about this story it is going to involve some things from Season 2 of the show. There will be tension but not nearly as much as the previously stories, think of this as the light hearted story of the group. I'm in the process of outlining the rest of the story so I'm open for any ideas you guys might have. But let me know what you thought about this opener and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: see chapter one.**

_**Author's Note: Wow, the response for the first chapter of this story was amazing and I can't thank you enough. I reply to all reviews because you took the time to review I can take the time to say thank you, so thank you to the guests that reviewed and for reading in general. I'm also very sorry that this chapter took so long but like always I wanted it to be as perfect as I could get it and I had to move out of my apartment so it took longer than expected and I apologize in advance for any errors, I can't catch everything.**_

_**Minor side note: I changed Nathan's age, he was three at the time of Rapture so he'll be turning four at some point in the story later on down the road. Rambling over, on to the story!**_

Danny knew something was wrong when he opened his email and saw that both his sisters had emailed him within moments of each other. The only other time that had happened was right after his mother had told them about Matt and his disappearing act. Instead of opening the emails he picked up his phone and hit his mom's speed dial number, deciding to go directly to the source.

Steve had happened to be walking into Danny's office with a fresh cup of coffee as Danny waited for his mother to pick up the phone; it was only about one o'clock in New Jersey so she should be home. "What's up?" Steve asked taking a sip of his coffee as he watched Danny's leg bounce up and down. Danny only did that when he was nervous and had a feeling that something bad was going on. Steve had first noticed it when Danny was going through the whole Matt episode. Danny turned his laptop and motioned towards the two emails.

"Something's up, they would never email me that closely together. Hey ma." Danny greeted as Deb answered the phone. Steve sat back as Danny decided to put his phone on speaker.

"Hello Daniel, Steve with you?"

"Hi mom." Steve greeted leaning forward towards the desk.

"So to what do I owe this pleasure? You only usually call on the weekends; I assume that nothing is wrong." Both Danny and Steve knew that she was hiding something, her voice was too controlled and it immediately put Danny on edge.

"Can't a son just call his mother to say hello?"

"Cut the crap Daniel." Deb warned not really in the mood for anything other than the truth.

"Lauren and Ellie both emailed me so I thought I would call. What's going on that has them in such a tizzy that they had to email me?"

"They're just overreacting and being a bit selfish if you ask me."

"Ma, what happened?"

"You know that your father was planning on retire soon right? Well he finally decided that it was time to hang up his chief hat and we got to talking, right around the time we came to see you for your reception about where we would like to retire to. We talked about it for months and the last time we were in town, we saw that a house was on the market a few streets over from you, so on a whim we put in an offer and we got the house. So we're planning to move to Hawaii and your sisters are overreacting, telling me that we can't sell the house they grew up in and that we can't move so far away from them. They're being dramatic that's all, they didn't need to go running to you, your father and I were going to tell you this weekend when we talked." Danny fell back in his chair shocked; his parents were planning on moving to Hawaii. He looked up at Steve and shared a shocked smile.

"You're moving to Hawaii? That's awesome." Steve finally spoke delighted at the idea of Danny's parents being close to them. Danny had gone so long without his family close by that having them here on the island would be amazing. Danny was still in a daze with a small smile spread across his face, he was excited to have his parents on the island with him. He may be selfish but he had always put everybody ahead of him that for once he wanted to finally have someone (besides Steve) put him first.

"Daniel? Are you okay with this?" Steve reached over the desk and lightly shook Danny from his haze.

"Of course I'm okay with this! I'm beyond okay with this; I can't wait for you guys to get here. It would be nice to have you so close to your grandkids; I know Grace will be over the moon when she hears. Do you want me to talk to Lauren and Elle, try and smooth things over with them?" On the other end of the phone Deb smiled, leave it to Danny to think that he has to fix things between her and the girls. Being the oldest Danny always made it his job to put his sisters and brother in line, and Deb had always been grateful for it.

"There's nothing to smooth over Danny, they just need to realize that this is what's happening. We're moving to Oahu in two months and they have no say in it, of course they're displeasure hurts but your father and I want to retire to paradise and plus we want to be close to our grandkids. But if you want to talk to them go right ahead, but nothing they say can change our minds." Danny nodded fiddling with a pen on his desk. She was right, his parents didn't need their approval to do things and to be honest they have gotten to be close to their parents their entire lives, while Danny was forced to move to the island for his daughter and he missed his parents. So knowing that they would be so close was great, and Danny was not about to talk his mother out of something that she wanted to do.

"Is there anything we can help with?" Steve asked sharing a smile with Danny, this was the best news they'd heard since their anniversary party nine months ago when they found out they were getting Nathan. Steve was ecstatic because having Deb and Denny on the island would be great, they could spend time with Grace and Nathan and Steve could show them all the things he loved about the island. Plus Steve could already see the happiness on Danny's face at the news; Denny and Deb were easily Danny's best friends and most important people (besides their family) in Danny's life.

"Yes actually there is, is there any way that one of you could be over there for the housing inspection?"

"Of course we can, when is it?"

"Thank you so much! It's Next Thursday at 10:30, I'll email Danny the realtor's phone number and such."

"Even if we get a case we'll make sure that one of us is there, anything else?" Danny asked writing down the home inspection info on a scrap piece of paper.

"No that's it. Can I do anything for you?" She asked smiling. Sometimes she wondered how she got so lucky with her eldest child, always willing to do things for her without any motive.

"No, but I'll let you tell Grace about moving she would love to hear it straight from you. So I'll call you later on when I pick her up from school okay?"

"Sounds wonderful, I look forward to speaking to her. Now I'll let you boys get back to work. Love you."

"Love you too." Both Steve and Danny replied as Danny reached forward to end the call.

"Well that's pretty great huh? Mom and dad on the island all the time."

"Yeah, both Grace and Nathan will get to have grandparents close and it would help Nathan get used to be a part of our family. I just wish my sisters weren't being such bitches about it."

"Well think about it from their point of view, they're parents are moving clear across the country after living in the same house for their entire lives. You weren't happy about having to move to the island so why would they be happy about it?"

"I know, but I bet my parents feel a little bit guilty for it anyway. And my mom and dad have always gone out of their way to make sure we had whatever we wanted so it's about time that they did something for themselves ya know? I'll email both my sisters back later to see what I can do to make this easier."

"It's always about time for you too. I know how close you are with your parents and you always go above and beyond to do things for everybody else. It's about time that someone did something for you, and you know that's part of why their moving out here. They want to be closer to you because they know that you might just need them more than Lauren and Elle."

"Closer to us babe, you're their son too." Steve smiled and took a quick look around making sure that the office was empty before giving Danny a soft kiss.

"I know Danno, I know. You want me to come with you this afternoon to pick up Grace and Nate?"

"Yeah I'll come get you when it's time to leave."

"Sounds good Danno." Steve replied getting up from his chair and making his way back towards his own office.

It was a rare light day that allowed the team time to actually eat lunch together; it was a tradition of sorts that had started right after their first case together. It gave the slow days something to look forward to and Danny actually enjoyed being able to sit down with his ohana and relax a little bit.

Kono sat down with her lunch and looked up at her teammates to see all three men smiling a bit goofy at their own lunches and she wondered what had gotten into them. She waited a few moments to see if any of them would share with the team why they all seemed to be a good mood, but now of them uttered a word and it only made Kono that more curious. "Alright what was in the Kool-Aid y'all drank this morning?" Steve and Chin stared at her with confusion written all over their faces while Danny chocked on his water.

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked looking at Chin to see a matching happy smile on his face.

"You guys are grinning like fools and I want to know why. I want to smile like a fool too." Danny chuckled at Kono as she seemed to whine.

"Can't a guy just be happy to be at work?" Danny joked smiling at Kono's glare. "I'm kidding, today's just a really good day. My parents are moving a couple of streets over from us in two months."

"Danny that's great!" Kono replied smiling brightly at him, also excited at the idea of Deb coming to the island. Danny was always so happy and almost relaxed when Deb and Denny were in town.

"Yeah Danny that's amazing, maybe she'll even cook that amazing lasagna every once in a while." Chin replied his own goofy smile reaching his eyes.

"Alright it's your turn now." Kono turned towards Chin an expectant look spread across her face. Steve and Danny both turned towards him waiting to hear what he had to say, but Danny had a feeling he knew what had the usually calm and collected man grinning like a fool.

"I'm a newlywed Kono, I should always be this happy." Chin replied staring his cousin down waiting for her to break.

"How far along is Malia?" Danny casually asked finally putting the pieces together.

"We just passed the first trimester." Danny nodded getting up and making his way towards Chin.

"Congrats man, you're going to be an amazing father." Danny wrapped his arms around Chin genuinely happy for his friend. Steve smiled and clapped Chin's shoulder.

"This is so awesome! First I get Nathan and now I'm gonna have a real baby to spoil! Awe cuz this is so cool."

"Yeah we're pretty excited too."

"The first Five-0 baby, I think this deserves a celebration don't you?" Steve asked looking at his happy team. He honestly couldn't remember a time when they were all feeling this happy and carefree and he liked it.

"Malia's off today and I bet she'd love to see Nathan and Grace, so I'm down." Danny and Kono nodded, giving them something else to look forward to while they were trying to make a dent in the paperwork that had accumulated from their weeks of back-to-back cases.

The afternoon drug on as the team made their way through the stacks of paperwork. Danny kept checking the clock hoping that it was time to get Grace to find that it had only been five minutes since the last time he checked the clock. His impatience today was worse than any other day because he couldn't wait for Grace to hear the amazing news and spend some time with his family.

Finally after what felt like forever Steve poked his head in the office and they left ready to cut loose for the day and see their kids. He couldn't wait to see how happy Grace would be when she heard that her grandparents were going to be so close and for Nathan to have even more people that love him. Danny sat quietly (a rarity) as Steve drove to Nathan's day care lost in his own thoughts. He worried about how Nathan was going to react to Danny's parents, since they had never met; it wasn't going to be easy. Danny was still trying to bond with Nathan, but it was difficult because Nathan was so attached to Steve and always preferred to go to Steve or Kono. Which if Danny was being honest hurt, seeing how Nathan lit up the other night when he saw Kono had hurt Danny a little bit because Nathan didn't always light up with Danny.

Steve looked over and saw how quiet and almost sad Danny looked and somehow he knew what had Danny so down. It was probably the same thing that had been on his mind lately, Danny's attempts at bonding with Nathan. Sure their bond was much better than it was when Nathan first arrived, but it wasn't anything like the bond that Nathan had with Steve. Steve knew that it hurt Danny when Nathan went to Steve instead of him, Steve could see it written clearly on his face especially when Grace would play with Nathan and Steve. It wasn't hard to guess that sometimes Danny felt like an outsider with their family, especially when Nathan seemed to have a love of the water like Grace and Steve. Steve wished that he could take Danny's pain away but he knew that Danny and Nathan would have to bond on their own terms. And Steve could see the changes every day between Nathan and Danny. Slowly, but surely Steve knew that Nathan was beginning to trust and love Danny.

Steve just hoped that knowing that Deb and Denny were going to be closer to them Danny would be happier, because all that Steve wanted was for Danny to be happy. "I bet Grace's is gonna flip out when she hears mom and dad are moving here." Steve said as they pulled up in front of Nathan's daycare. Danny turned and smiled that megawatt smile that Steve loved so much.

"She's gonna go bananas. You want to come in with me?" Danny asked unable to keep his voice even, he was always a little nervous when he had to pick Nathan up by himself. He wasn't always sure of what reaction Nathan was going to have when he saw him, but that didn't stop Danny from trying. He wasn't going to stop trying because he knew that Nathan wanted to trust him and he did on some level but he just had to keep trying.

"No, I'll wait here." Steve replied the unspoken truth between them speaking volumes as Steve reached over and squeezed Danny's arm in support.

"Be right back babe and please don't start any kind of incident okay?" Danny joked quickly exiting the car before Steve could reply and made his way into the daycare. He smiled at the young girl sitting at the front desk on his way into the three and four year old playroom. Danny smiled when he entered when he saw Nathan sitting on the floor playing with a puzzle; the daycare worker that was helping him said something to him and pointed up at Danny. Nathan smiled and stood up making his way over to Danny, when Nathan got closer to him Danny crouched down and smiled at Nathan. "Hey buddy, you ready to go?" Nathan looked at the young girl he was working with, who nodded and smiled at him.

"Yes." Nathan quietly replied reaching forward and wrapping his arms around Danny's neck. Danny smiled at the huge step in his and Nathan's relationship. It was rare for Nathan to reach out for Danny, usually he only preferred Steve to hold him. Danny relished in the contact, not knowing how fleeting it may be and he wanted to savor the feeling of his son in his arms.

"Did you have fun today?" Danny asked after he had collected Nathan's backpack and lunch box. Nathan nodded and began to rattle off the fun and cute things that they had had done in school that day and at daycare. Danny actively listened relishing in the drastic change in his relationship with Nathan. It was definitely the step that Danny was waiting for and it just made this day even better. Steve watched Danny walked out and smiled, he knew that it was only a matter of time before Nathan really trusted Danny and for it to happen today was amazing.

"Hey buddy." Steve greeted turning in his seat as Nathan crawled into his car seat. He smiled at Steve and continued talking to Danny about how much fun he and Henry had at preschool that morning.

"We go get Racie?" Nathan asked avidly watching the cars go by them. He loved riding in the car with Steve and Danny, especially when Steve went really fast. Both Steve and Danny smiled at Nathan's nickname for Gracie, when Nathan had moved in with them he was having trouble with his letters and sounds and he couldn't really pronounce the G sound so he ended up calling Grace, Racie and it just stuck.

"Yeah and then the team's coming over for dinner, that sound like fun?"

"Can we build sand castles?"

"Of course we can build sand castles." Danny replied smiling brightly at Nate.

"Yay!" Nathan cheered pumping his little fists into the air as they drove. Steve pulled up to the school and killed the engine as they waited for school to be let out. This was always Steve's favorite time of the day, when both he and Danny were able to leave work and pick up the kids. It gave Steve and Danny time with them that they usually only got on the weekends. Nathan had yet again grabbed Danny's attention as he told him why he loved shaved ice so much as the school bell rang, so Steve slipped out of the car and moved towards the front doors to find Grace.

"Daddy!" Grace exclaimed at the top of the stairs before running down the stairs and making her way through the throng of students towards him.

"Hey Gracie! Did you have a good day?" Grace nodded as Steve grabbed her hand leading her through the crowd of students towards the car where Danny was smiling brightly at Nathan who was still talking.

"Hey Danno." Grace greeted leaning over Steve's seat to kiss Danny's cheek.

"Hey Monkey, good day today?" Grace nodded as she buckled her seat belt and turned towards Nathan.

"Racie!" Nathan greeted smiling sweetly at her and laughing when Grace blew a raspberry on his cheek.

"Hey Nate." Steve smiled at them in the rear view mirror and started the car, cataloging this moment away so he could always remember the feeling.

It was a flurry of activity when the family got home, Grace sat at the kitchen table to do her homework, Nathan and Steve were cleaning up Nathan's toys in the living room; Steve was cleaning while Nathan played with each toy that Steve put away while Danny ran to get some food for them to grill. Before they knew it there house was crawling with their teammates and significant others, along with Mary and Chris.

Danny watched from his spot next to Nathan in the sand as Grace talked to Deb, who had called after Grace had finished her homework. He caught Steve's eye when Grace squealed loudly and jumped up and down no doubt having just heard that she and Denny were moving to Hawaii. Danny paused for a moment as Grace ran over to him with a huge smile on his face and realized that this was happiness. This feeling, this moment of his life was what true happiness was all about and Danny felt lighter than air.

He could only hope as Grace tackled him into the sand in her excitement, taking Nathan down with her (not that he minded in the least) that this happiness lasted, because he could really get used to this.

_**A/N 2: So did that pull at your heart strings and bring a smile to your face? I hope it did. Nathan is based off of my best friends four year old brother to a T, literally I write like everything cute and silly and little kiddy that he does so I can use it in the story. I hope you've enjoyed the lighter chapters and don't worry it won't be like this for the entire story, I'm working up to the drama and tension. So like always let me know what you thought and if you have an idea you think would be good for this story, PM me because I'm looking for ideas for the story. Thanks for reading and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: see chapter one.**

_**Author's Note: First off I want to apologize for the delay in this chapter but moving takes a lot out of you and I wanted this chapter to be good for you guys. Secondly, I want to thank everyone that reviewed, followed, or read the last chapter. I apologize in advance for any mistakes.**_

When Nathan came to live with Steve and Danny they knew that it would be quite some time before Nathan really trusted them and even began to love them. Laila, their social worker had warned them that Nathan would take a bit longer to fully feel comfortable with them due to the nature of why he was coming to stay with them. But that didn't mean that they didn't hold out hope that Nathan would fall in love with them like they had with him soon.

Danny was especially taking it a bit harder than Steve. Sure they had he and Nathan had moments when Nathan seemed to want to be around Danny and talk to Danny, but those moments were few and far between. It had been three weeks since the last time Nathan had really sought out Danny, and he tried, desperately not to take it personally.

He knew that Nathan saw Steve as someone who would protect him; he had been the one to rescue Nathan in a sense. So it made sense that he always went to Steve for comfort, to play with him, or pretty much anything he wanted or needed. And Danny understood that they had a much different bond than Danny would probably ever have with Nathan, but that didn't mean that it didn't wear on him and hurt just a little bit. It especially hurt when both Nathan and Grace went to Steve, making Danny almost wonder why he was really needed. Those moments were rare, but still those rare moments hurt and stuck with Danny haunting him on his darkest days.

It also didn't help that they were in the middle of a case that had them being pulled in so many different directions. Upon first glance it seemed like a pretty cut and dry murder with the wife having more than enough motive and opportunity to have killed her husband, until of course she had been murdered. So they were back at square one with Danny doing his detective thing and picking through every single piece of their lives trying to figure out anything that could have been used against them while Steve was off with Chin talking with Max. It was rare for Danny not to be with Steve, but Danny felt that he needed to look through the couples' life.

Danny was in the middle of looking through the Masters' financial records when his phone rang. Seeing Nathan's preschool on the caller ID made Danny's heart speed up as his mind ran through every possible scenario. "McGarrett-Williams." Danny answered glancing around HQ to see if Steve was around.

"Hello Mr. McGarrett-Williams this is Clara Nelson from Island Pacific Academy and I'm calling to inform you that Nathan has come down with the flu. He has a fever of a hundred and one and he has thrown up."

"Okay, I'm on my way." Danny replied pinching the bridge of his nose as he hung up the phone and stood up. He really wished that Steve were here to deal with this, he knew that Nathan would much rather prefer to have Steve be there to comfort him. But of course, Steve wasn't there and Danny was just going to have to suck it up and hope that Nathan doesn't flip out when Danny picks him up instead of Steve.

Steve felt his phone vibrate in his pocket before he heard the sound telling him he had a new text message. He thought about ignoring it but he had a feeling that it was important so he excused himself from the table that their victims were lying on and pulled his phone of out of his pocket.

_Nathan's got the flu, I'm going to pick him up from school call if you absolutely need me okay? Love you._

Steve sighed as he read Danny's text and immediately felt bad for Nathan. He worried about Nathan's reaction to Danny, before he realized that Danny was the best person to take care of Nathan right now. Steve had no idea where to even begin with a sick kid, but Danny's been through a lot with Grace that he'll know exactly what to do. Plus it's about time that Danny be the one that can comfort Nathan. Quickly firing off a text to Danny Steve turns back towards the table, determined to wrap this case up quickly, he's got a sick little boy and loving husband waiting for him at home.

Danny raced from HQ over to Nathan's preschool in a style much more akin to Steve's style of driving but he knew from experience that if Nathan was sick the last place he wanted to be was at school with someone who wasn't his parents. So the drive that usually took twenty minutes, took less than ten with the help of the flashing lights, Danny knew it wasn't proper police procedure but his kid was sick and he didn't really care about whether it was right to put his lights on or not. He got out of the car quickly making his way into the school.

Walking into the office he could see the slight tension in Nathan's little shoulders, an almost scared look in his eye, as if Danny was going to be angry that he had to take time off work and come get him. Danny didn't hesitate to crouch in front of Nathan (much like he had that one great day when Nathan openly went into Danny's arms when he picked him up from Daycare) and smiled softly at Nathan. "Hey Nate, you ready to go home?" Nathan nodded and slowly sat up immediately going into Danny's open arms. Danny rubbed Nathan's back letting the warmth of his hand wash over Nathan, finally making his little body relax in to Danny's strong arms as he fell asleep his head resting on Danny's shoulder.

Once Danny had sighed Nathan out from school he quickly made his way to the store to pick up the necessary medications to help get Nathan through the flu before they made their way home. Danny was relieved that Nathan had been open to him, after he had shown Nathan how not mad he was. Nathan slept from the time they left the school until they got home and he had woken up when Danny went to move him from his car seat. He immediately wrapped his arms around Danny's neck and held on tightly using Danny's warmth to warm himself. Danny smiled and cradled him against his chest while managing to carry the bags of stuff into the house without so much as dropping any one of them. He dropped the bags to disable the alarm before picking them back up and making his way up the stairs.

He grabbed some pajamas for Nathan and headed into his and Steve's bedroom. He wanted to be close to Nathan and judging by the way that Nathan wouldn't let go of Danny, even to put his pajamas on Nathan didn't want Danny to leave him alone. Finally Nathan let go enough for Danny to put his pajamas on and for Danny to slip out of his work clothes and into sweats and a t-shirt. The moment Nathan's head hit Danny's pillow he's out like a light and Danny sagged in relief. He wanted Nathan to sleep, because sleep was going to help Nathan's fever come down. Danny quickly and quietly unloaded the bags of stuff leaving Nathan to sleep.

Danny had brought the laptop up from the office and was working on the case when Nathan woke up three hours later. "Danno." Nathan whimpered making Danny jump up from the chair so he was at Nathan's side in minutes.

"What's up buddy? What can Danno do for you?"

"'m hungry." Nathan spoke quietly resting his head against Danny's shoulder his eyes closing every few seconds. Danny felt Nathan's forehead and smiled, he was still warm but Danny would bet that Nathan's fever was coming down close to breaking.

"Juice and toast sound good?" Danny asked scooping Nathan into his arms effortlessly. Nathan sleepily nodded his head as they made their way down the stairs. In the back of Danny's head he couldn't help but celebrate at the monumental shift in his relationship with Nathan. He finally felt as if Nathan really did trust him; saw him as a person that he could go to make it better, much like Steve. And it made Danny's heart swell with love for the little boy in his arms.

Danny made toast for Nathan while also making him laugh with his silly antics because he knows how miserable Nathan is feeling and the sound of his infectious laughter made Danny feel lighter and completely forget about their case, the power of children and their innocence. "Do you want apple juice?" Danny asked placing the lightly buttered toast in front of Nathan who nodded quietly thanking Danny for the toast.

As they sat at the table Nathan slowly eating his toast Danny's phone rang and Danny knew before the ringtone registered that it was Steve calling.

"Hey babe." Danny greeted smiling at Nathan as he ate his toast.

"How is he?" Steve asked as he and Kono walked out of HQ off to find their suspect.

"He slept most of the morning and now he's eating some toast. I think he'll be fine after he eats something and sleeps some more."

"Was he okay when you picked him up?" Steve hated asking if Nathan had freaked out on Danny, but he wanted to know.

"He seemed afraid that I would be angry but I made sure to reassure him that I wasn't upset and he seems to understand that I'm not going to get mad at him. So now he's very open to me, it's a major victory."

"That's great Danno. Tell him I say hello okay?" Danny looked at Nathan who was pushing his empty plate away from him and taking another sip of juice.

"Hey buddy, want to say hi to daddy?" Nathan looked up at him and nodded. "Here babe why don't you just say hello yourself." Danny replied pulling Nathan into his lap and pressing the phone lightly to his ear.

"Hey Nate."

"Hi daddy." Steve smiled at Nathan's soft voice, it had taken Nathan a matter of weeks to pick up on Grace calling Steve daddy and started calling Steve daddy as well. No matter how many times Nathan said it; it still brought a smile to Steve's face.

"Be good for Danno okay? He'll make sure that you feel a ton better. I love you and I'll see you later okay?"

"Tay." Nathan replied looking up at Danny.

"How's the case going babe?" Danny asked moving into the living room to set Nathan up on the couch with a movie. He not only heard Steve sigh but felt it through the phone. They hadn't been getting far with the case and they were both running a bit ragged.

"Thanks to you combing through their financials we were able to find a shady business manager that was about to lose everything because of the husband. We're going to bring him in for questioning while Chin gets the warrant to search his house and office. We think that we'll be able to wrap this up today, I don't know when I'll be home but I'll keep you posted okay?"

"Alright babe, we'll see you later. I love you and be safe." Steve smiled and shook his head as he gave both Danny and Nathan his love before hanging up the phone. Danny smiled down at Nathan who had crawled into Danny's lap to watch Finding Nemo, his favorite movie. It didn't take long for Nathan to fall asleep again and Danny soon after drifted off with Nathan.

Steve and Grace walked into the quiet house and both stopped when they saw both Danny and Nathan asleep on the couch. Grace smiled as Steve pulled out his phone quickly and quietly snapping a picture of the two of them sending one to Kono, Mary, and Deb he knew they would appreciate the picture.

"Let's go in the kitchen and I'll set you up with a snack before I head back to work." They were close to getting the business manager to confess especially after the evidence they found in his office and Steve wanted to be there when they finally wrapped this case up. But when he had tried calling Danny earlier to see how Nathan was and Danny didn't answer he knew that he was tending to Nathan so he took off to pick up Grace himself. Grace nodded and sat down at the table pulling her stuff out of her backpack. Steve cut up an apple and spooned out some peanut butter for her he kissed her forehead when he put the plate down in front of her. "I'm gonna tell Danno you're home and I'll see you later okay? If I'm not back before bed time than I'll see you at breakfast and I love you okay?"

"Love you too Daddy, go get the bad guy I'll take care of Danno and Nate." Steve smiled at how mature and responsible Grace sounded hugging her around the shoulders. Steve walked over to the couch and leaned over the back giving both Danny and Nathan a kiss on the forehead before heading back to work.

Before Danny even opened his eyes he could feel that he was being watched. For a moment he thought that he was lying in his bed and Steve was watching him, like he was prone to do sometimes. Opening his eyes with his fond exasperated smile spread across his face, he noticed he was in fact not lying in his bed and that both Nathan and Grace were looking at them while _Peter Pan _was frozen on the big screen. "Hey, where's daddy?" Danny asked stretching as he sat up on the sofa, feeling his nap in his lower back.

"He went back to work after he picked me up from school. I'm supposed to take care of you and Nate. He woke up about an hour ago after I finished my homework and you looked like you needed to rest, so we decided to watch a movie." Nate nodded his head as if he really understood anything that Grace was saying. He had a general idea, but his brain was still a little fogging from his flu. "Don't worry Danno, I only gave him that juice that you used to give me when I was sick and see I even wrapped him up in a blanket so he wouldn't get cold." Danny smiled at just how mother-like Grace was with Nathan.

"Thanks Monkey, thank you for taking care of Nathan."

"And you Danno." Grace added smiling brightly at her father.

"And me yes. Hey Nate, come here." Nathan stood up and walked over to Danny resting his head against Danny's out stretched hand. His forehead felt cooler than it had earlier in the day. "Are you feeling better?" Nathan nodded a little.

"My tummy still hurts." Nathan whispered, much like he had earlier in the day when he thought that Danny was going to get mad at him for being sick. Danny nodded and wrapped his arm around Nathan's small body to pull him up so he could sit on his knee.

"I know buddy, but you'll get better I promise. Are you hungry?" Nathan nodded his head automatically resting on Danny's shoulder. "Alright Monkey, Nathan and I are having soup for dinner what would you like?"

"Can I have a sandwich? The kind that daddy makes?" Danny nodded as he stood shifting Nathan to his hip. Nathan was more than happy to stay in the warmth of Danny's arms as he rested his eyes against Danny's shoulder.

Dinner was quiet with Nathan struggling to stay awake until about halfway through Danny put him to bed in the big bed. Grace easily filled the silence as she told Danny all about her day and her homework, which she asked him to check over. Grace helped with the dishes and clean up of the kitchen before kissing Danno goodnight and heading up to take a shower. Danny helped Grace dry her hair and listened to her read aloud before he went to check on Nathan. Nathan was just waking up as Danny walked into the room and Danny smiled at him as he sat down on the bed.

"Hey Nate, what's wrong?"

"My tummy hurts." Nathan replied as he started to cough and Danny knew from experience that he was about to see Nathan's dinner again, so he quickly grabbed the trash can he had placed on the side of the bed but was a second too late as most of it ended up down Nathan's shirt and on the bed. Nathan coughed a few times into the trash can as he began to cry.

"It's okay Nate, don't worry we'll get you cleaned up and change the sheets. It's okay, it's not your fault you got sick. We'll try some juice okay? Come on we'll use the big tub." Danny soothed not even hesitating to pick Nathan up. He really didn't care that he was getting vomit all over his shirt, he just wanted to get Nathan cleaned up and in fresh clothes. Nathan continued to cry as Danny gave him a bath and changed the sheets.

Nathan waited for Danny to blow up at him. He thought for sure that Danny was going to get mad when he got sick all over the bed. He remembered a time when his mom had gotten upset with him when he gotten sick from something he ate, she had yelled at him and spanked him for getting the couch all dirty. So Nathan waited for Danny to get mad at him, but Danny never did. All day Danny was patient and kind to him. He had willingly cuddled with Nathan when they were watching movies earlier and sat with Nathan when he was too miserable to sleep. And even now as Danny worked quickly to change the sheets he wasn't angry, he kept talking to Nathan trying to get him to laugh. He kept smiling kindly at Nathan and touching him softly and gently. It made Nathan relax around him seeing him act like it was any other day.

"Alright there we go. You've got your juice, I've got your book and we are ready to cuddle into bed. Are you feeling sick?" Nathan shook his head as Danny lifted him up and placed him into the center of the bed. "Alright then, how about a story?" Nathan lit up and shook his head. He loved story time. Danny laughed and climbed into bed opening his arm for Nathan to cuddle up next to him.

For the next hour Danny read Nathan short stories from his collections book as Nathan sat cuddled up against him. He was getting sleepy but he wanted to hear the end of the story. Finally Danny read the last sentence and helped Nathan get comfortable in the bed. "There we go, comfortable?" Nathan sleepily nodded opening his eyes just long enough to smile at Danny. "Good, I'll be right downstairs waiting for daddy so don't hesitate to come get me okay?" Nathan nodded again burrowing deeper into the blankets letting the fresh scent wash over him. "Alright goodnight Nathan, I love you."

"Love you too Danno." Nathan whispered back right before he fell asleep burrowed between Steve and Danny's pillows. Danny stopped when he heard the three words he's been longing to hear for months and turned looking at Nathan with an incredulous look on his face. Had he heard Nathan right? Had Nathan really just told him he loved him? Danny couldn't believe his ears as he watched Nathan's breathing even out as sleep finally overtook the sick little boy. He watched him sleep for a few moments to make sure that he wasn't dreaming before he turned and went downstairs in a daze of happiness and relief.

Steve found Danny sitting out on the lanai with a long board in his hand a blissful smile on his face. Steve sat down next to Danny reaching out to shake him from his stupor. Danny blinked his eyes and turned to Steve, his smile still in place. "Hey babe, close the case?"

"Yeah got the confession hours ago, but I stayed to get the paperwork done. How's Nate?"

"He's good, he threw up earlier but his fever's gone. I'll keep him home tomorrow just to be sure." Danny still had that smile on his face, the one that brought a smile to Steve's face. "Are you hungry? Grace wanted a daddy sandwich for dinner so I made you one too, it's in the fridge." Steve got up and went to retrieve his sandwich still wondering what had Danny in such a good mood.

He waited until he had finished his sandwich and took a long pull from his beer before he couldn't take it anymore. "What's got you in such a good mood?" Steve finally asked grabbing Danny from his happy musings once more.

"Nathan said he loved me when I tucked him in." Steve stopped with his beer halfway to his mouth a wide smile spreading across his face.

"That's great Danny. See I told you it wouldn't be long before he loved you." Steve reached over grabbing Danny's hand on his own.

"I'm shocked ya know? I'm still not sure that he actually replied when I said I love you, but Steve I can't even describe how awesome this feels. I've waited for so long for him to trust me and feel comfortable with me for it to finally happen is indescribable." Steve chuckled at the look on Danny's face, he was beyond happy that Nathan had finally warmed up to Danny. He could stop worrying that Nathan was going to freak out around Danny and they could finally be the family they were meant to be.

"He's a pretty awesome kid." Steve replied his exhaustion finally catching up with him.

"Alright it's time for big Super SEALs to go to bed; you go up and get ready for bed while I take care of the alarm. Nathan's in our bed so be quiet." Steve smiled and nodded giving Danny a sleepy kiss before shuffling his way up the stairs.

Danny stopped when he reached the doorway to their bedroom and smiled when he saw Steve and Nathan laying in the middle of the bed with Steve's much larger frame protectively wrapped around Nathan's sleeping body. It was a welcome sight to them and Danny will admit that his bed has never looked more inviting. It didn't take long once Danny's head hit the pillow for Danny to move towards the center of the bed and grab Steve's hand as he drifted off to sleep, both protecting Nathan from anything that could get to him in the night.

The next morning Danny woke up to an empty bed and for a moment he panicked, until he heard the distinct sounds of dishes down in the kitchen and relaxed. Nathan had probably gotten up early with Steve, Danny thought as he got up and made his way towards Grace's room only to find that she too was already up.

"Alright Gracie, how'd I do? Do your pancakes taste like Danno's?" Danny heard Steve ask as he got closer to the kitchen. Danny stopped leaning in the doorway watching his family sitting down for breakfast. Grace was cutting into her pancakes while Nate happily ate his toast next to her laughing at Steve who was flipping pancakes at the stove to make Nathan laugh. It never ceased to amaze Danny, this was his life. He finally had the family he had always wanted.

"They're good, but no one can top Danno's pancakes daddy you know that."

"You're right but a guy can try can't he?" Steve asked catching sight of Danny in the doorway and smiling brightly at him. "Good morning Danno, pancakes?" Steve asked as Danny pushed off the door frame and made his way over to the coffee maker.

"Thanks babe." Danny replied grabbing his plate from Steve and pressing a light kiss to his cheek. "Nate get up with you?"

"Yeah and he was looking a little restless so I brought him down to the water with me and next him splash around a little bit before we decided that pancakes sounded good for breakfast." Danny cut into his pancakes right at the counter and smiled as he took a bite.

"Monkey's right, they're good but no one can top my pancakes." Steve chuckled and shook his head finally dishing up his own plate of pancakes. It was nice to actually get to have breakfast together as a family and Steve savored the calm that seemed to have settled around them, he loved moments like this.

Steve got up to put his plate in the sink as Grace got her backpack and lunch for school. Grace kissed Nate's cheek before hugging Danny and kissing his cheek on her way to the truck. Steve kissed Danny as he promised to check in later or possibly stop by if he could later on before he bent down to hug Nathan goodbye.

"Bye Nate, have fun with Danno today. I love you." Steve kissed his cheek and smiled as Nathan wrapped his short arms around his neck.

"Love you daddy." Steve stopped; he too had never heard Nathan say he loved him. Steve looked up at Danny and smiled, nothing could ever take this moment away from Steve and Danny. They would carry this moment with them to remind them of just how good they have it at home, and boy were they going to need the reminder soon.

_**A/N 2: I loved writing this chapter so much and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as well. This chapter was incredibly sweet and fun to write, but I promise the drama and tension is coming in the next chapter. So let me know what you guys thought, I love hearing from you and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: See chapter on_

_**Author's Note: Like always thanks for those that review, read, and follow this story you guys truly are amazing. This chapter brings slight drama to the story, but really it's only serving as a precursor to the things that going to happen in the next chapter and the rest of the story. The idea for this chapter came from JediDaughter1 so I dedicate this chapter to you and I hope that you like it. I apologize for any mistakes in advance.**_

Things for the McGarrett Williams family had been going pretty smoothly, but both Danny and Steve were not fooled. They knew from personal experience that things weren't going to continue to be smooth forever, but they were ready for the next drama that would pop up. They had been through so much since the beginning of their relationship and there wasn't much they couldn't handle. So they were ready for whatever was about to come up, the only question was when said drama was going to happen.

The day of the home inspection was a typical gorgeous Hawaiian day, the type of day that Danny had originally hated and spent much time bitching out to anyone who would listen. But in the time that he and Steve have been together and with the help of his amazing children that love this weather so much, Danny had begun to change his mind. He will always love New Jersey and its four seasons, but he's slowly warming up to Hawaii and it's true beauty. Plus any day that Danny gets to get out of the office is a great day for Danny, even if he is just standing in front of his parent's new house watching Steve do his manly-man thing with the inspector.

Danny was sitting on the back deck overlooking the pool when his phone rang. The soft jazz ringtone told him that it was Rachel calling him and for a moment he thought back to the fun he used to have picking the song that would be her ringtone. But that was back when he couldn't stand the thought of even talking to his ex-wife and now he doesn't mind it as much.

"Hey Rachel what's up?"

"Hello Daniel, I'm not interrupting you at work am I?" Leave it to Rachel to always be polite.

"No it's fine, what can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to confirm that I was picking Grace up from school on Friday and dropping her off at school on Monday."

"Sounds about right, I'll drop her bags off at your house after I drop her off at school."

"Oh I can meet you there and pick it up from you, Charles has a doctor's appointment out that way so it wouldn't be too much trouble."

"Sounds good, anything else?"

"I hear that Deb and Denny are relocating to the island, I bet you're just over the moon with excitement." Danny smiled at the mention of his parents coming to the island. But he could hear the slight sadness in Rachel's tone and he paused, his smile slipping a little bit.

He always seemed to forget that Rachel was also far away from her parents. Her moving to Hawaii had put even more distance between her and mother, whom Rachel had always been close to. That was the one thing that they had in common back when they tried to get back together, they were both alone on this island without any family to support them through the difficult transition. Of course, Rachel had decided to come to Hawaii, whereas Danny had no choice. He wasn't about to let his daughter grow up thinking her father didn't love her enough to move with her, plus the thought of a life without Grace was not something Danny liked to think about.

If he hadn't of moved to stay close to Grace he wouldn't have met his crazy partner, said partner that he loved with all of his heart and more. Now that he had a loving healthy relationship there was no way that Danny could ever not be with Steve. Steve was in every sense of the term Danny's soul mate, he was sure of it. They complimented and challenged each other in just the right way that they were better versions of their before McDanno selves, there was no denying that. They were much better than he and Rachel had ever been.

But still Danny could understand why Rachel was slightly sad and maybe a tad bit jealous to know that Danny's family would be much closer than before and Danny felt for Rachel he really did.

"Yeah, they'll be here in a couple of months. I'm happy but I think Grace is the one that's the most excited. She can't go a day without mentioning all the things that she wants to show Nonna and Poppa when they get here." Rachel chuckled because Danny was right, she couldn't go a day without talking about it.

"Yes she is very excited. How is Nathan handling the news? Is he as excited?" Danny paused again, he wanted to say that Nathan was excited to finally meet his grandparents, but Danny wasn't sure. He was happy whenever Grace brought it up but that was mostly because Grace's excitement was contagious and Nathan always seemed to be happy whenever Grace was.

"I think he's excited and nervous at the same time. I mean he's just getting used to Steve and I and now there's more new people to get used to."

"Knowing your mother and father, he'll fall in love with them as quickly as he did with Grace." Yet again Danny caught the slight edge to Rachel's voice and Danny wanted to sigh. He really didn't want to even think about touching the subject of Grace and Nathan with Rachel. He knew that it would ruin the delicate balance they seemed to have found in dealing with each other. Plus he really didn't want to get into the difference between Nathan and Charles, and why Grace found it easier to become attached to Nathan when she was still struggling to figure out Charles and how she feels about that, even though in a sense it's the same thing. They were both her little brothers, but the situations that brought them to her were so completely different.

If Danny wanted to stop Rachel's slight anger over Grace and Nathan's relationship he could. All he'd have to say is that in terms of Nathan, Grace had a choice. Steve and Danny approached her to see how she felt about bringing another child into their home. They included her in every visit to the orphanage that Nathan was staying at, so that she could spend time with Nathan before they brought him home. They made sure that she understood why it was so important to bring Nathan into their home. They took the time to explain that just because they were adopting Nathan that it didn't mean they loved Grace any less.

None of those things happened with Charles. Rachel hadn't talked to Grace about siblings before she got pregnant. She just got pregnant and then expected Grace to be okay with it, because she was old enough to understand what was going on. Sure things were a little crazy when Rachel found out she was pregnant, what with her and Danny sleeping together and trying to rekindle their romance, her leaving Hawaii and returning to New Jersey at the same time that Steve was being arrested, and then finding out that the baby she thought was Danny's was in fact Stan's. All of that aside really Rachel could've made the effort to make sure Grace understood what to expect when Charles arrived. And if Danny was a betting man he would bet that Stan was so excited to have a child of his own, a son to carry on his name, that he might've paid more attention to the baby then his sweet step-daughter. Plus Nathan was old enough to actually play with Grace and do things with Grace like build sand castles and watch movies.

So really the situation couldn't be any different and Danny's not the least surprised that Grace loved her brother Charles but wasn't as excited over him as she was with Nathan. And Danny really wants to tell Rachel that, remind her that this is not a competition and that Grace will come around with Charles in due time. She just needs some time to figure out where she stands now that Charles is in the picture.

But Danny (for once) keeps his mouth shut, backing down from the fight he instinctually wants to start because he's in a good place right now and he's not about to start something with Rachel that could hurt Grace.

He didn't spend almost a year of his life finding her for custody of his daughter to just turn around and hurt Grace by hurting Rachel. No it was time to stop even thinking about getting back at Rachel.

"You're probably right, but we'll see when they actually get here. How's baby Charles?" Danny asked turning the subject away from his own family and focusing it on something that will make Rachel happy. He can tell she's caught off-guard by the question but prattles on about Charles and all his cute baby ways all the same.

As Danny hung up he can't help but feel as if he and Rachel had taken a step back because now he knows how she really feels about Nathan. From the moment he and Steve decided that they were going to adopt Nathan they hadn't really thought about how Rachel was going to feel about it and why would they? But Danny would at least think that she would be somewhat happy for them expanding their family. He had been there for her when she had given birth to Charles because Stan was unable to be there and even though it pained him to see her giving birth to a baby that wasn't his at the time, he was still happy for her. He was still happy that she had given birth to a healthy baby boy.

But it seemed as if Rachel wasn't all that happy for Danny, that was actually a little upset that Danny had gone ahead and adopted a little boy. He wouldn't be surprised if in the dark recesses of her mind she wondered if Danny was trying to do better than her, when he wasn't. He hadn't thought about her at all during the time they had decided that they would bring Nathan into their home. All Danny saw was a little boy that had lost the only family he had and needed a stable home to grow up in.

Danny sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He should've known that he and Rachel weren't ready to move on from the drama and crap surrounding their relationship just yet. There had been too much over a such small time that it was going to take more than a couple of months without custody threats every other day for them to actually act like that adults that they should be.

But that doesn't mean that he still doesn't hold out hope that one day he might actually be able to call Rachel his friend, instead of his ex-wife.

_**A/N 2: So, how was it? I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and the slight 'drama' and I use that word loosely it brought to the story. Let me know what you thought about this chapter and if you have an idea that you think would work for this story let me know too because I'm still looking for more ideas for this story. Until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: see chapter one.**

_**Author's Note: Thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews and follows for this story. This chapter was insanely hard to write due to the subject matter, which is why I'm going to warn you that there is some choice language in this chapter which comes with the subject that's being addressed. I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter all the same, and I apologize in advance for errors of any kind.**_

"McGarrett?" Steve stopped and turned adjusting his hold on Nathan as he did to find the person who had called his name. Steve had gotten used to people calling out his name since Five-0 had gained popularity on the island, but this voice sounded unsure and that was definitely different. "Holy shit, it is you." Steve couldn't help but smile when one of his former teammates walked up to him.

"Hey Frankie, long time no see." Steve greeted reaching out his free hand for a handshake. Frankie looked at Nathan and then down to the ring that was glittering in the sun.

"You got married and have a kid? That explains your retirement last year, I think."

"That was kinda the reason for it yeah, this is my son Nathan." Nathan smiled at the stranger as he snuggled into Steve's shoulder a little bit more. Steve smiled down at him and ran his hand through Nathan's curly hair, they had just spent the morning running errands for Danny and Steve could see that he was fading fast.

"His mother is definitely a looker." Frankie commented immediately setting Steve on edge, he was tempted to correct Frankie about his assumption that Steve had married a woman, but it wasn't worth it if he wasn't going to see Frankie again. Nathan's head fell against shoulder as he fought the battle to stay awake.

"I should probably get him home for his nap, but it was good seeing you again."

"Hey I'm in town all week, let's catch up. You bring your ball and chain and I'll bring mine, we can catch up some more." Steve thought about it for a moment before agreeing, he wasn't going to hide who he was and honestly he did want to catch up with Frankie. They had been close during their time as SEALs; Frankie was the one that Steve had felt the deepest connection with because Frankie understood why Steve was so closed off. He didn't push for Steve to open up and didn't press when Steve let things slip. Steve trusted Frankie with his life at one time, so it was time that Steve finally came clean about his marriage.

"Yeah that sounds great, here's my number. If I'm not too busy at work we'll get dinner." Frankie nodded and they exchanged phones each quickly programming their numbers before going their separate ways.

Frankie called two days later while Steve was in the office finishing the paperwork for their latest case. Steve had already discussed with Danny the run-in with his former teammate and had agreed that he would tag along because it was important to Steve. Yes, they were out to those close to them, the people that mattered and sure all of the island knew about them; but this was the first time that Steve would be opening up to someone from his SEAL days and Danny was going to be there every step of the way, in case things went horribly wrong.

Danny looked up when Steve entered his office and smiled as Steve sat on the edge of Danny's desk. "What's up?" Danny asked looking up from the report he was finishing, happy to have the distraction from having to explain Steve's actions during the bust in a police procedure friendly way.

"Frankie called, wanted to know if the missus and I were free for dinner tonight." Steve replied smiling cheekily at the missus part of his statement hoping that it riled Danny up a little bit.

"Are you sure the missus will be up for it? I mean it has been a pretty long day. But if it's that important to you I could make it happen." Danny joked, but there was an uncertainty in his eyes that Steve couldn't miss even if he didn't know Danny as well as he does. Joking about his 'wife' was the only thing keeping Steve from truly freaking out; he didn't want to put Danny in a situation where things could go from good to ugly in seconds.

"Danny, I want you to come with me. I want to introduce my husband to my former teammate." Danny went to open his mouth, to remind Steve that technically Danny wasn't his husband, they weren't married they only had a civil union, but Steve held up his hand. "I don't care about the technicality, detective. This ring on my finger to me means that you're my husband. So do you think we could get a babysitter for Nathan and go out with Frankie? I promise that I will not make you stay if you're uncomfortable in any way, deal?" Danny leaned back in his chair and thought about it for a moment. He could tell that this was really important to Steve and he didn't want to let him down.

"Yeah we can get a babysitter, let me ask Kono if she knows anybody." Steve nodded and lightly touched Danny's arm.

"Thanks D, I know you're worried but it means a lot to me."

"I know babe and I'm actually kind of looking forward to meeting one of your teammates to see what you were like during your SEAL days. Although I'm not sure I want to hear about all the crazy antics you pulled, I don't think my heart took take that."

"Ha ha Danno, you're hilarious really. I told him we'd meet at seven at Hoku's." Danny nodded pushing back from his desk to go talk to Kono. As Danny followed Steve out of his office he hoped that this dinner didn't turn out the way Danny thought it would, but Danny had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that this wasn't going to go very well.

Later that night as Danny and Steve drove over to Chin's house to drop off Nathan, Danny tried to keep his nerves in check. This is the first person from Steve's past, besides Joe White, that Danny was going to meet since he and Steve started seeing each other. There had been the whole Nick Taylor episode, but neither Steve nor Danny liked to bring up that episode of their lives. So it was understandable that Danny was nervous as to how this guy was going to react, but still Danny knew that Steve wouldn't let anything bad happen tonight so Danny was just going to hope for the best.

"You ready?" Steve asked as he effortlessly parked the car in front of the restaurant.

"Yeah babe, let's get this show on the road."

"It's gonna be okay Danno, I promise. Frankie's a good guy and I'm not gonna let anything happen tonight. If you feel uncomfortable for any reason we'll leave okay. I appreciate this a lot babe, I really do."

"You're my partner babe; of course I'm going to do things like this with you. Let's go show Frankie how good you have it." Steve smiled and nodded finally getting out of the car and following Danny into the restaurant. As they entered the restaurant, Danny felt the butterflies in his stomach multiply. He couldn't remember a time when he was this nervous, anxious, and filled with such apprehension; he just wanted tonight to go smoothly but he knew better than to think anything would go the way he wanted it to.

"Smooth dog, over here!" Frankie called out grabbing Steve's attention. Steve turned lightly guiding Danny by a hand at the small of his back. Danny instantly relaxed at the warmth from Steve's hand; he wasn't expecting Steve to touch him so intimately since they were in public. "This is my wife Lynn, Lynn this is Steve McGarrett."

"I've heard a lot about you Lt. Commander." Lynn smiled at Steve as she shook his hand.

"I'm retired now there's no need for the formality."

"You know you love it Super SEAL." Danny couldn't help but joke. "Hi Danny McGarrett-Williams, Steve's husband." Danny greeted smiling as Lynn shook his hand and he could see the look of disbelieve on Frankie's face and confusion. He knew that it would take a little explaining.

"Husband?" Frankie couldn't help but ask still trying to work it out in his head.

"Yes, been married almost two years now." Steve replied casually, already planning an easy exit if Frankie reacts badly.

"Well that was unexpected, but hey if you're happy then I'm happy." Frankie replied, his tone of voice not making Danny feel any better. He's not stupid, he knew that Frankie would know how to make Steve relax a little bit without really meaning what he said and the look in Frankie's eye said that he didn't really mean what he said. Danny balled his fist under the table and counted back from ten in his head. He wasn't going to go all Jersey on this idiot; no he was going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

An odd silence fell over the table before Danny turned to Lynn feeling an actual genuine accepting vibe from her. "So Lynn, have any kids?" Danny asked purposefully ignoring Frankie who was looking between Steve and Danny and slightly shaking his head.

"Yes two little boys four and two, Adam and Cole." Lynn smiled proudly as she reached into her bag and pulled out her phone to show Danny pictures of the boys. Danny smiles at how cute the boys are as he flips through the pictures moving to show Steve as well, who smiled while also keeping an eye on Frankie.

"Have you guys thought about children?" Lynn asked as Danny handed back her phone and both shared a look wondering who was going to explain.

"We have two, Grace is my daughter from my first marriage and we just adopted a little boy Nathan, who will be turning four in a couple of months." Steve beamed with pride at the mention of their kids; he would always consider himself the luckiest man on earth to have not only an amazing partner but amazing kids. Before Danny could even reach for his phone, Steve had his out and handed it over to Lynn.

"They're so cute!" Lynn quietly gushed as she flipped through the many, many photos that Steve had of their kids. Danny watched Frankie looking at the photos and wondered when he was going to say what was obliviously at the tip of his tongue. He had a feeling that he was going to have some questions about how Steve ended up with a man and Danny hoped that he would do it without putting his foot in his mouth.

"You okay Frankie?" Steve asked after a few moments of silence passed over the table.

"Yeah, just curious I guess."

"Understandable." Steve replied motioning for their waiter. After he brought them a fresh round of drinks and took their order Steve waited, he had given Frankie the opening now it was up to Frankie to ask the questions.

"I mean don't get me wrong, you look the happiest I've ever seen you and that's great for you but I guess I'm just having a hard time putting the Steve McGarrett I knew to the guy sitting across from me right now."

"It's McGarrett Williams." Steve automatically supplied because by now it had been second nature to correct people on his last name.

"See, I just can't see it. I mean shit man, you were such a ladies man back in the day. You would just smile at a woman and she'd drop her panties for you. If I went out with you it was guaranteed that I would get laid from one of the girls you didn't take. You settling down is a hard enough concept to understand because you were not the relationship type, more of the fuck 'em and leave 'em type ya know? Which was totally understandable given the life we live with the SEALS where you here one day and gone the next." Frankie paused taking a sip of his beer, not noticing the looks that Danny and Steve were exchanging. "But to see you settled down with a man is incredibly hard to wrap my head around. I mean I expected a tall leggy brunette, like Catherine." Danny sighed and looked down at the table his stomach clenching in knots. He still wasn't comfortable hearing about Catherine and Steve's 'relationship' it brought up too many memories that Danny didn't like to revisit.

Steve took a deep breath and looked over at Danny. He could tell from his posture alone that just hearing Catherine's name still hurt Danny. He reached out under the table to grab Danny's hand giving him some form of comfort.

"I'm sorry man but I just don't get it." Frankie finally finished looking up and locking eyes with Steve. "I mean I'm not homophobic or anything, but come on Steve even you have to admit that it's a little hard to believe."

"If this were five years ago then yeah I'd agree with you, but it's not. I've changed a lot in the past five years and to be completely honest Danny is probably the best thing that's happened to me. If I hadn't of met him right after my dad died I would've probably went off and did something stupid and gotten myself killed. I'm not that guy anymore, I retired from the Navy because I had a family that needed me more and the live of a SEAL just wasn't worth it anymore for me. What I have now is way better than anything I ever had before."

"What about Cath? You guys seemed pretty in love from where I was sitting and I know for a fact that she was crushed when you broke it off after training. Plus she was the classic McGarrett type." Danny tried not to let it get to him, but Frankie was voicing every insecurity that Danny had. Yes, Danny was confident that Steve loved him, loved him with everything that he had. But Danny couldn't help but think that if he had fucked up with Rachel, the woman he thought he was going to be with for the rest of his life; what's to say that Danny wouldn't fuck it up with Steve? And Frankie was right; Danny was the opposite of Steve's preferred type. Steve sighed and saw Danny shrink even more into himself. He really hated seeing his partner so down on himself and he had no idea how to show Danny how wrong Frankie was.

"No offense to Lynn, but she's not your type either. Like you said, you always picked up my rejects so that means that they were tall, leggy brunettes. So that just shows that people change, I've changed. You knew a different Steve and I'm not that guy anymore. I've settled down and I wouldn't trade my life for anything. Danny is exactly the type of person I need in my life and the fact that he's a man means nothing. I'm sorry that you can't accept that I'm not married to a man, but I'm not here to appease you. It's been interesting running into you again, but I think it's time that we leave. Maybe next time I see you won't be like this. Lynn it was nice meeting you and I'm sorry it had to end like this. Come on Danny, let's go." Danny smiled at Lynn but silently stood up following Steve out of the restaurant. Once they were out of the loud and crowded restaurant Steve stopped and pulled Danny into his arms, breaking their no PDA rule. He needed Danny to know that he was exactly what Steve needed in his life and that he loved him more than anything. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, let's just go home and order a pizza with no pineapple." Danny quietly spoke into Steve's shirt making Steve laugh.

"Sure thing Danno, no pineapple." Danny smiled softly pulling out of Steve's arms just enough so he was still pressed against Steve's side as they walked to the car.

Danny knew not everyone would be accepting of their relationship and they had faced their fair share of opposition with the general public, but it hurt more when the opposition came from someone one of them knew. With Frankie it hurt Danny to hear about how wrong he thought Danny was for Steve and he tried not to let it bother him, but Frankie had hit every thought the nagging voice in the back of his head tried to tell him.

As they drove through the silent streets Steve knew that Danny was thinking about the things that Frankie had said during dinner and he hated seeing Danny so down about himself. He hated it even more that he had no idea how to show just how wrong Frankie had been without sounding like a broken record.

He was just going to have to think outside of the box to show Danny just how much he loved him and Steve was more than ready for the challenge.

_**A/N 2: So tell me who kinda hates Frankie? You can see now why this chapter was so hard to write I literally had to force myself to write the entire dinner scene. But I hope you enjoyed the tension and angst this chapter brought, the next chapter will be Steve's out of the box thinking to bring some fluff and lovingness back into this story. I'm currently rereading the previous two stories for more ideas, but let me know what you thought and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: see chapter one**

_**Author's note: Thank you guys so much for your reviews for the previously chapter and for reading this story in general. I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as well. I apologize in advance for any errors.**_

Steve sighed as he looked across the table at Danny. He was still down after dinner with Frankie and it was driving Steve nuts that he couldn't find something to bring his Danno back. Sure, he smiled and laughed with the kids but he would look at Steve sometimes and his bright eyes would dim a little bit. It hurt Steve to see Danny bottle his feelings like Steve didn't want to know just how Frankie's words had affected him, which was why Steve wasn't pushing Danny. He didn't want to make Danny feel like he was being pushing into talking about it, he wanted Danny to come to him on his own accord, but the longer Danny stayed quiet the more determined Steve became. Danny had no idea just how much Steve loved, needed, and cherished him but the time would come when Steve would put his plan into motion, and in the meantime Steve was going to wait.

Danny could tell that Steve was up to something. Even with his mind preoccupied with Frankie's words repeating on a loop through his head, he still knew his husband and he knew he was up to something. And if Danny were feeling like his typical pushy New Jerseyian self, he would push his SEAL until he cracked and told him what he was up to, but Danny couldn't bring it to himself to care. For once, he knew that Steve wasn't doing anything stupid to hurt himself, so Danny didn't seem the harm in letting him think he was pulling the wool over Danny's eyes. In the meantime Danny had some then less stellar thoughts to work through before they ate him alive and possibly ruined the best relationship Danny has ever had.

He really wanted to go to Steve and tell him all the thoughts going through his head, he wanted Steve to know just how much hearing about his pre-Five-0 life had affected Danny. But he didn't want to make Steve feel guilty for the life he lead before. It wasn't Steve's fault that hearing about how much of a ladies' man he had been had wreaked havoc on Danny's self esteem, how was Steve to know that his actions five years ago (back when Danny was married) would affect his partner now? Plus Danny was one hundred percent ready to talk to Steve about it, to Danny admitting his fears about Steve possibly leaving was a weakness and Danny was not weak. He was a father and a cop and he can't afford to be weak. But that doesn't mean that the words playing through his head don't hurt every single time he thinks about them.

Steve finally set his plan in motion after a rough case that had left all of them with more cuts and bruises then Steve could even begin to count. As they were handing off the dirt bag that tried to use them for target practice Steve could see Danny walking with his head down and it made Steve's heart clench and decide that tomorrow he would take care of his Danno, Super SEAL style.

No matter what trash was going through his head Danny couldn't help but feel happy and content spending time with his kids and Steve; he could just feel the love surrounding them. This was exactly what Danny needed to begin working through just why Frankie's words hurt so much. Grace and Nathan's innocent giggles made Danny smile and look up from the book he was reading to see Steve chasing them through the surf. He watched them play some form of tag for a few minutes before his phone rang.

"Hello?" Danny greeted not bothering to look at the caller I.D. since he knew it wasn't a case, Steve was the one that got those phone calls.

"Good morning Danny." Danny smiled as his mother's sweet voice filtered through his ears.

"Hi ma." Danny replied leaning back in his chair as most of the tension seemed to drain from his body.

"How are my beautiful grandbabies and my favorite son-in-law?"

"Fantastic, they're playing in the water as we speak and counting down the days until you and pop get here."

"As are we Danny, as are we. Now are you going to tell me what's bothering you or do I have to get Steve on the phone?" Of course his mother would pick up on it, she was too good sometimes.

"It's nothing ma really." Danny tried to lie his way out of this because he didn't want to burden her with his problems, not when she was still dealing with the nonsense his sisters were giving her about the move.

"It's obviously something if it's bothering you so much; now tell me what's wrong." Danny sighed and looked over at Steve, who had stopped playing with the kids and was watching him with a smile on his face, a smile that made Danny's heart melt.

"Steve and I went to dinner with one of his old SEAL teammates and he was surprised, to say that least, to see that not only was Steve married but married to a man. He kept going on and on about Steve's natural charm with the ladies and such and how I'm not the type he thought Steve would end up with. He thought Steve would settle down with his ex Catherine, the tall leggy brunette in the navy not some stocky blonde cop from New Jersey."

"And that made you think about your relationship with Rachel and how that failed because you two were obviously not a match for each other. And now you're replaying everything that man said, driving yourself nuts with your insecurities and such, right?" Danny's jaw fell open at just how right his mother was.

"How did you? Did Steve call you?"

"Oh Danny, you underestimate me. No, Steven didn't call me, but I'll have a talk with him about letting me know when things aren't going great and there's something bothering you later. I'm your mother so of course, I know when something is troubling you. Now tell me everything that's bothering you."

Danny sighed and thought about just telling her that memories of Rachel were the only thing bothering him, but he knew better she would see right through that and the last thing Danny wanted was to piss off his mother. "It's just I'm wondering if he's going to realize we weren't meant to be together. Who's to say that I'm not going to fuck this relationship too? I mean I fucked up one relationship with someone I had a child with; some would say that I'm bound to do it again and I don't think I could handle it this time. The feelings I have for Steve are way more intense than the feelings that I had for Rachel, even during the good times. Losing him is not something I ever want to think about. But Frankie's right, I've seen some of the women that Steve hooked up with before we got together and I am nothing like them. I'm loud, not the tallest crayon in the box, I talk too much, I'm a man, and a whole bunch of other things!" Danny exclaimed loud enough to grab Steve's attention, but only Steve's attention.

Steve smiled down at his kids as they built a sand castle and asked Grace to watch out for Nathan while he checked on Danno. She nodded, moving so she was sitting behind Nathan reaching forward so she could guide Nathan in making the perfect tower. Steve smiled as he watched them for a moment when he heard Danny's voice again cutting through his tranquil thoughts reminding Steve why he had gotten up from building a sandcastle.

"I know ma, I'm being dramatic and foolish but it's how I feel alright? And try as I fucking might I just can't shake these thoughts from my head. And I'm sorry for swearing at you, I really am." Steve stood over Danny casting him in his shadow, which forced Danny to look up at him. "Hold on ma. Hey babe everything okay?"

"Danny put Steve on the phone." Steve smiled as he heard Deb's loud voice through the phone as he extended his hand. Danny reluctantly gave over the phone and leaned back in the chair waiting for the fall out of his own mother turning against him and ratting him out to his own husband.

"Hi mom."

"Oh Steve, my son is quite silly let me tell you. He's got some foolish thoughts running through his head and I know you know what I'm talking about."

"I do, I know exactly what you're talking about." Steve cryptically replied moving to sit in the chair next to Danny, his hand searching for Danny's.

"Good, now I hope you know how to fix this whole mess."

"Yes mom I do."

"Wonderful, I knew you were my favorite son-in-law for a reason. Now give my babies kisses from grandma and give Danny back the phone."

"Will do mom, talk to you soon." Steve smiled over at Danny leaning forward and pulling Danny toward him with their connected hand to give him a short hard kiss. "Mom's worried about you Danno, there's no need to yell and rant at her."

"I know babe, I know. Go play with our kids."

"We're talking later Danny." Steve warned giving Danny a stern look before he handed over his phone and walked back down the beach. Danny sighed and apologized for ranting at his mom as he continued to watch Steve play in the sand with their kids. He knew that their talk was not going to be easy, but not everything in life was easy and Danny just hoped it didn't do more harm than good.

Steve had slipped away from the house sometime after Kono had arrived for Grace's surf lesson and Danny had taken Nathan with him to go grocery shopping. As he drove away from the house he hoped that his brilliant plan didn't blow up in his face because he wasn't completely sure as to how Danny would react, but it was too late now.

The afternoon passed quickly and Steve arrived home right as Danny was beginning to start dinner and was none the wiser that Steve hadn't really been around all afternoon. He just thought that Steve was out puttering away in the garage and was a little spooked when Steve walked into the kitchen and wrapped his clean arms around his waist. "Have a beer with me out on the lanai after the kids are in bed?" Steve whispered in Danny's ear his hands rubbing Danny's stomach in the most enticing way. "I've got something to show you." Danny finally stopped chopping broccoli and turned in Steve's arms wrapping his own around Steve's neck.

"What kind of something?"

"You'll have to wait and see. You know I love you right?"

"I love you too babe, I'm sorry about the last couple of days." Steve rested his forehead against Danny's and smiled.

"Don't apologize for how you feel Danno. We'll talk about it later okay?" Danny nodded reaching up to kiss Steve thoroughly pushing his entire body against him.

"I have to finish dinner." Danny murmured breathless as he pulled away his forehead still resting against Steve's.

"What are we having? It smells delicious."

"Your son requested 's'getti' while we were at the store, so spaghetti it is." Danny replied lifting his hands to air quote 's'getti' making Steve smile.

"My son has excellent taste; I'll leave you to your culinary talents and go play with my kids."

"Please don't get them super dirty Steven!" Danny called after Steve moments after he walked out of the kitchen, Steve's loud laughter the only response Danny got which made Danny shake his head. "Sometimes I swear I have three kids instead of two." Danny spoke aloud to the empty room as he continued chopping broccoli.

Their natural lighthearted banter was a welcome change from the tension that has surrounded their house. Even with their short talk Danny felt better than he had in days, he knew that he couldn't let someone's narrow minded and probably confused and caught off guard thoughts ruin his marriage or family, because Danny was not going to lose the best thing he has in his life.

Danny lost himself in Grace's chatter about her upcoming week and all the things she was going to do that they would miss while she was at her mom's house. Danny glanced over at Steve while Grace was speaking and smiled at the way that Steve was listening intently to every word that spilled from her mouth while also tending to Nathan, who had more spaghetti on his face and shirt than had made it into his mouth. Watching just how devoted Steve was to children that weren't biologically his reaffirmed what Deb had said earlier in the day that she could see just how unconditionally Steve loved not only Danny but Grace and Nathan as well. Danny was so caught up in his own thoughts he didn't hear Nate say his name or even notice Steve and Grace staring at him, worry swimming in their eyes.

"Sorry, what?" Danny asked looking from Grace to Steve and then Nathan.

"Are you done eating?" Danny looked down at his plate which was almost empty; he didn't even remember eating any of it. Danny nodded, pushing back from the table so he could clean up and start the dishes. "It's okay Danno, Grace and I will clean up the dishes. You can take care of spaghetti boy over there."

"How on earth at three do you still get more food on yourself then in your mouth, huh buddy?"

"He tried eating with his fingers instead of a fork Danno, it was pretty funny." Grace offered as she grabbed his plate. "He kept dropping his noodles because they were slippery and then he'd wipe his face with his hands."

"Well then I think it's time that I hose off spaghetti boy. Come on Nate, it's bath time." Danny scooped Nathan up smiling as Nathan starting singing the rubber ducky song he had learned from an old episode of Sesame Street Steve had found online. The routine was a blissful distraction from the mess of thoughts running through Danny's hand and gave him some time to refocus on the important things in life.

Finally both Nathan and Grace were in bed giving Steve and Danny some time alone. Steve found Danny sitting alone in his beach chair staring out at the waves. He approached slowly not making any effort to be quiet, he didn't want to sneak up on Danny especially after the amazing progress they had made today.

"Hey." Danny spoke quietly still staring at the waves as Steve stood in front of Danny. "We should probably talk."

"Yeah, but before you say anything I have something to show you." Danny finally turned to Steve as pulled his t-shirt over his head.

"What could you possibly have to show me that requires taking your shirt off?" Danny asked eyes locked on Steve's instead of on his naked chest. Steve sighed throwing his shirt onto his empty chair and Danny eyes moved to the flash of white on Steve's chest, right over his heart. "What did you do?" Danny asked up from his chair quickly getting a closer look. "You got a tattoo?"

"I love you Danny, I love you so much it hurts. Everything Frankie said was the old me, you are everything I need and more. I don't want you to ever doubt that I'm not going to be with you forever. So I thought that this would help." Steve replied reaching up and pulling at the bandage on his chest for Danny to see the words etched onto his skin, right over his heart. Danny gasped as he read the words, Danno Ko`u Aloha Mau Loa. "It means my love forever." Steve whispered as Danny eyes locked on his.

"You did this for me? I mean everyone is going to see it when you take your shirt off."

"I want them to see it Danny. I want them to know that your mine and I'm yours. This tattoo is forever Danno, just like my love for you."

"How did I get so lucky?" Danny finally whispered as his fingers lightly pressed the bandage back in place because the last thing Danny wanted was so the tattoo to get infected.

"I ask myself that every day." Danny smiled wrapping his arms around Steve's neck effectively pulling him down so Danny could kiss him hard. Seeing his name tattooed on Steve's body made Danny's heart race and his possessive side come out. Now the next time Steve ripped his shirt off everyone would see that he belonged to Danny and that was a very hot thought. "Does that mean you like it?"

"Oh let me show you just how much I liked it Steven." Danny replied his voice raw with lust and want as he pressed his whole body against Steve's showing him just how much seeing his tattoo.

As Danny pulled Steve towards the house, Steve knew they were going to be just fine and that nothing would ever come between them because the love they shared was too great. He would remember this moment the next time that something or someone tried to get between them.

_**A/N 2: So did be honest, did you even except what Steve was going to do? I hope it was a nice surprise. Let me know what you guys thought like always and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: see chapter one**

_**Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews and favorites for this story I'm so glad this story is so well liked. I'm insanely sorry for how long this chapter took to write, but I decided to change a few things around and move this chapter up and it was insanely difficult to actually write this chapter. I apologize in advance for any mistakes grammatical or otherwise.**_

"Danno get up!" Danny sat up quickly thinking something was seriously wrong to be greeted by Grace and Nathan's smiling faces. "We have to go pick up Nonna and Poppa!" Grace exclaimed bouncing on the bed a little bit. Nathan giggled and bounced a little bit too making Danny smile at how cute his kids were.

Danny stretched and glanced over the kids to see Steve's alarm clock and shook his head. It was only 6:30 and his parents weren't due until noon so he had more than enough time to get a little more sleep. But most likely Grace had probably gotten up just as Steve was heading out for his swim and told Grace to wake Danny up, because his husband was evil.

"Come on Danno!" Grace whined pulling on Danny's hand to get him up and out of bed.

"Come on Danno!" Nathan repeated trying to pull on Danny's hand and failing to move him. Danny smiled at the look of concentration on his face and moved a little bit chuckling at the look of awe that spread across Nathan's face.

"Alright I'm up, I'm up. Go see if daddy's done with his swim and I'll get started on breakfast."

"Daddy said we could have pancakes." Grace replied smiling sweetly up at Danny, hoping he bought it. Danny saw right through her lie, but decided to leave it alone. Today was a special day and Danny wasn't going to bring down his little girl's excitement. Grace grabbed Nathan's hand and they flew down the stairs giving Danny a few moments to get his bearings and find a pair of sweats that were probably Steve's and make his way down the stairs.

It had been a rough couple of weeks for Danny and he was more than happy for his parents to get here. On top of work getting crazy with Five-0 getting case after strenuous case leaving Danny and Steve unraveling from no sleep and juggling two kids Danny had also heard that his parents stuff was arriving a week before they were and Danny immediately planned it so that everything would be unpacked before Deb and Denny even breathed Hawaiian air. Danny knew what it was like to move and then have to unpack and after all the drama going on with his sisters at home, Danny wanted his parents to actually enjoy their move.

So every night he and Steve went over to the house and work on unpacking one of the rooms. It wasn't easy, especially when they were working days on end without much sleep or even time for each other, but they were determined and by the end of the week they had finally finished. All that Deb and Denny had to do was unpack the clothing they brought with them.

Plus once his parents got here Danny was going to finally get some alone time with his husband. He loved his kids with all of his heart, he really did but it's been too long since Danny's gotten Steve all to himself and it's high time they had a night to themselves. Danny smiled at the thought of his alone time with Steve as he scrambled eggs for breakfast.

He was so wrapped up in making breakfast that he didn't hear Steve and the kids come back into the house. Steve stepped up behind Danny and kissed the side of his neck as he wrapped his arms around Danny's waist for a quick morning hug.

"I see they didn't wait long to wake you up." Steve joked smiling at Danny as he moved to lean against the counter in case Danny needed any help.

"Of course not, they couldn't wait to harass their poor father into consciousness for something that isn't happening until this afternoon. I swear they got the idea from you."

"I did no such thing Danno, but if it makes you feel better than blame me. What time are we picking up mom and dad?"

"Their flight gets in at noon, so we should leave here at about quarter after eleven. I don't know what we're going to do with the monsters until that time."

"We could go get some bare essentials for your parents, which would kill some time. And we should probably stop and get some leis for the traditional welcome."

"Both wonderful nice gestures, are you trying to suck up to my parents Steven?" Danny asked holding his spatula out in an accusing manner.

"Yes sir I am. I'm hoping they'll take Nathan and Grace for the night so I can have you all to myself."

"I was hoping for the same thing babe. I guess great minds think alike huh?" Steve smiled that smiled that meant trouble for anyone that tried to get in his way.

"Danno, we're hungry!" Grace called from the table where she and Nathan were sitting as patiently as they could. Both Danny and Steve turned to look at them and Grace smiled sweetly back at them. Danny chuckled as he watched her fidget in her seat.

"Hold your horses Monkey; these pancakes don't magically make themselves. Nonna and Papa won't be here for a few more hours so relax a little okay? I guarantee that they are just as excited as you are to get here." Grace immediately stopped moving and sat in her seat taking Danny's words to heart. "Here you go." Danny dished up the pancakes and handed the plates to Steve.

Breakfast passed quickly as Grace talked about all the things she couldn't wait to do with Deb and Denny and Nathan just sat there absorbing everything going on around him. Danny saw the nervous way that Nathan sat quietly and knew that he needed to make sure that Nathan knew how excited his parents were to meet him. After they had finished eating, Danny left Grace and Steve in the kitchen to clean up and took Nathan up stairs to get him ready for the day.

"Are you excited to meet Nonna and Poppa Nate?" Danny asked as he and Nathan picked out his clothes for the day. Nathan silently shrugged and picked up the hem of his pajama shirt and Danny immediately stopped going through his shirts and pulled Nathan up and into his arms. "Well I'll have you know that Nonna Deb is very excited to meet you and Poppa, well he's the coolest guy you'll ever meet. He's like you, very quiet but once he gets going he's funny. He used to play trucks with me all the time. They're gonna love you instantly. They might even have presents for you, doesn't that sound cool?"

"Yeah, I like presents." Nathan replied his face lighting up and a smile breaking out across his face. If Danno's parents were half as awesome as Danno and daddy then Nathan was going to be just fine.

"Me too buddy, me too. Now what on earth are you going to wear today?" Nathan shot down from Danny's arms and ran over towards the dresser waiting for Danny to come over and help him. Danny chuckled and lifted Nathan so he could look at his t-shirts. It took Nathan half a second to zero in on the shirt that he wanted to wear and when he held it up Danny couldn't help but laugh loudly at Nathan's choice.

In Nathan's hand was a light weight white t-shirt with the words, "Book 'em Danno" on the front. The shirt had come from a Kono a month after Nathan had moved in with them and had instantly became Nathan's favorite shirt. Even though Danny had had a problem with Steve's favorite phrase in the beginning it had become a term of endearment between the two and seeing Nathan wear it across his chest made Danny's heart swell with love.

"That's a good choice Nate." Steve commented from the doorway to Nathan's room a large grin spread across his tan face. Danny shook his head at the smug look and put Nathan down so he could get him a fresh pair of shorts. "I'll take it from here Danno, Grace just got out of the shower so you should get ready." Danny nodded and left the room hearing Steve talk about how awesome it was going to be to have Deb and Denny there on the island. With any hope they would have Nathan just as excited about the William's arrival as Grace was.

As Danny set about getting ready for the day he wondered how Steve was really handling this whole situation. It was one thing to have in-laws that you saw every couple of months if they were lucky and spoke to on the phone whenever they had free time, but his parents were about to be on the island all the time. He could only imagine the thoughts going through Steve's head having lost his own family. He hoped that Steve saw his parents moving here as a way to have a family because Danny only wanted Steve to have everything he wasn't able to have in his life. He made a mental note to talk to Steve about how he felt about this, because the last thing Danny wanted was to make Steve feel uncomfortable.

Steve sensed that Danny was lost to his own thoughts when he checked his watch and noticed that Danny was taking more time than usual to get ready. Usually it took Danny a half hour to get ready for work, so his time should be cut in half because they weren't going to work and add in Grace's excitement they needed to get a move on soon. So Steve made sure that Grace was watching Nathan and walked up the stairs to find Danny sitting in the middle of the bed shirtless.

"Danny what's wrong? We need to get a move on before Grace loses her mind."

"Are you okay with this?" Danny suddenly asked looking up at Steve with a weird look of sad compassion on his face.

"Okay with what?" Steve moved into the room and sat on the bed with Danny wondering what was going on with his partner.

"My parents moving here, are you okay with it?"

"Of course I'm okay with it Danny. Look at how happy you've been since you found out. You've gone so long without having them close and now they'll be two blocks away. It's awesome."

"Yeah but my parents were always a phone call away." Danny stopped before he spoke about Steve's parents. He was hesitant to actually say the words because he knew it would bring Steve down hard. It had been hard enough for them to finally move into the master bedroom because Steve didn't want to go through his parents things. He didn't want to pack it up in a box and put them in the attic, that's why he stayed in his room. He was more than happy to box up his own stuff and throw it in the attic. But it after some consoling from Danny and a shared afternoon of memories they finally cleaned out the room and filled it with their memories.

Steve stopped and took a deep breath. He finally knew what was bothering Danny, it was finally voicing the thoughts that Steve had pushed to the back of his mind. "Danny," Steve started pausing as he grabbed Danny's hand. "You're happiness is my happiness and yeah I wish that my parents were here to see my family and how great they are but they're here with me because I carry them in my heart all the time. And honestly I've kinda taken your parents as my own so yeah I'm okay with it. Plus like I said as long as you and the kids are okay and happy, then I'm happy."

"You'd tell me otherwise right? If it gets to be too much you'll let me know right?" Steve smiled and nodded leaning over to gently brush his lips against Danny's.

"I promise if it gets worse I'll come talk to you, but for now it's fine. So please finish getting ready because Gracie is about to explode from excitement and we have a lot to do today." Danny nodded and walked into the closet to find a shirt he could wear and they'd be on their way.

Danny's words stayed with Steve as they went grocery shopping and stopped to pick out leis. Steve hadn't ever really felt like someone else was looking out for him. Sure, he knew that Danny was his partner and would always have his back, but this was different. Danny had been concerned that something so amazing would hurt him. He made him love the blond even more when he heard the pain and worry in his voice as he voiced his concerns for him. To know that he didn't have to hide anything from Danny was like lifting a weight from his shoulders, he knew that no matter what ugliness might happen that Danny was going to have his back. And for the first time in their relationship Steve finally understood why Danny really was perfect for him, there was no denying it now. Steve was a lucky guy to have someone who would forgo his own happiness just to make sure that Steve was okay.

"Look Daddy they're flight's landed!" Grace exclaimed grabbing Steve from his thoughts. Steve looked down at her and smiled at the innocent excitement spread across her face. "I can't see them though." Steve didn't think twice before he picked Grace up placing her on his shoulders so she could see. "Thanks daddy." Grace smiled down at Steve before scanning the airport for her grandparents.

Next to them Nathan was anxiously clutching his arms around Danny's neck. He was worried that when Danno's parents saw Grace they wouldn't even notice him. He didn't know what it was like to have grandparents and he was nervous they wouldn't like them.

"I see them!" Grace exclaimed forcing Steve to put her down so she could run over to Deb and Denny. Steve looked at Danny and saw Nathan's anxious face and Danny's excited one, so he pulled Nathan from Danny's arms so he could go see his parents. While Danny and Grace were hugging Deb, Denny looked up at Steve and smiled at Nathan.

"Hi you must be Nathan, I'm Poppa Denny I'm so excited to meet you." Denny spoke lightly with a huge smile on his face even reaching out to shake Nathan's hand. Nathan looked at Steve for a moment unsure of what to do and Steve just nodded a small smile on his own face. Nathan nodded and reached his hand out to shake Denny's. He caught the shirt Nathan was wearing and laughed. "I like your shirt."

"Thank you." Nathan quietly replied reaching out to hug Denny on an impulse. To Nathan, Denny seemed friendly and reminded him of his Danno. Denny didn't hesitate to pull Nathan into his arms and hug him right back. He had always wanted a grandson to watch sports with and do other manly things with. "I like your shirt too." Nathan lightly fingered the hem of Denny's Newark PD shirt.

"Thank you, I think you and I are going to be best friends." Nathan lit up at the thought that Denny seemed to really like him. Deb watched the interaction with a watery smile on her face. Her husband had always been amazing with young kids and to see him making Nathan feel loved with them melted her heart.

"Hey Nate, do you want to meet Nonna Deb?" Denny asked turning when he realized everyone was watching them. Nate looked hesitant for a moment before nodding.

"Hi there Nathan, I'm Nonna. I've been waiting to meet you for quite some time. I even have a gift for you." She reached into her back and pulled out a t-shirt much like Denny's but much smaller. "I thought you would like to have a Police Department shirt like your Danno has." Steve smiled at her over Nathan's head as Nathan stared at the shirt. He felt so special to have a shirt like his Danno, sure he had a lot of shirts like his daddy but to have one from Danno's old job seemed pretty awesome.

"Thank you." Nathan quietly spoke again as Deb gave him the shirt. "We have leis." He suddenly spoke turning in Denny's arms to look at Steve and Danny. "Can I give them their leis?" Steve nodded and pulled the leis from his back pocket and handing one to Grace and Nathan.

"Thank you so much Nathan, I love it." Denny smiled at Nathan as he bent his head so Nathan could put the lei on.

"Are we going to your house now?" Nathan asked as Steve picked up their bags and they made their way out of the airport.

"Yeah buddy we are."

"It's so cool, I like your house." Once Nathan felt comfortable he kept talking about his favorite toys at home, his favorite activity with his parents and Grace and had the whole car in stitches with his innocent view on the world. Even Grace was okay with Nathan taking center stage because she knew how nervous her baby brother was to meet her Nonna and Poppa. Danny smiled at his father as he listened actively to Nathan's story about his sand castle they had built the other day and how much fun he had destroying it with Steve.

As they pulled up to the house Denny didn't hesitate to help Nathan get out of the car and let him show him the house. Danny wanted to tell them to wait for Steve and Deb, but Nathan's face was just too precious so he nodded letting Nathan try to pull Denny into the house. He waited a few moments before following them and smiled at the look of pure confusion on Denny's face.

"Who did this?" Denny asked looking around at the furniture set up in such a way that it looked similar to their house in Jersey but felt new and different.

"Steve and I did. We thought it would be nice to come home and not have to spend time unpacking everything. We even set up the bed and put sheets on it, but left the clothes and stuff you had shipped alone so you could put it away just how you wanted it.

"Wow Danny, that's great. Your mom's going to be so happy."

"We also picked up some staples at the grocery store like milk and stuff so you didn't have to spend your first official day here grocery shopping."

"You want something don't you?" Denny playfully asked looking at Danny sternly and making Danny feel like he was sixteen again getting caught sneaking in.

"No I know how awful it is to land and then have to spend so much time unpacking so we thought we would do the big stuff for you."

"We owe you so much for all your help with this move."

"Poppa did you see the pool?" Denny nodded his head but followed Nathan out back and together they started thinking of ideas for the backyard. Danny heard the truck pull up and walked out to welcome his mother home.

"Hey Danny, where's Nate and dad?"

"They are out back planning their clubhouse I think." Deb smiled remembering the clubhouse Denny had built for the boys back in Jersey. "Welcome home ma, I think you're in for quite a surprise." Danny motioned for Deb to walk into the house and waited for the gasp he knew was coming.

"Danny, this is amazing! How did you find time to do this?"

"They came over after work every day for like a week Grandma, we got to hang out with Auntie Kono and Mary it was so cool. We even went grocery shopping today for you."

"I can't believe you two went to all this trouble. I owe you big time for this." Danny and Steve looked at each other with huge smiles on their faces.

"Hey Monkey, why don't you go see what grandpa and Nate are up to? Maybe help them figure out what kind of swing set to get." Grace nodded and hugged Deb one more time as she walked towards the sunny backyard.

"What's the plan for today?" Deb asked making her way into the open kitchen that looked out over the backyard to get a glass of water.

"The team, Mary and Chris are coming over for a welcome to Hawaii party at our place. We thought about throwing you a house warming party but we decided that that could wait until you guys have settled in and made some friends." Deb nodded and turned to watch Denny run around with Nathan and Grace in the back yard.

"I think we're gonna like it here just fine." Deb commented a few moments later as Danny and Steve joined Denny in playing with the kids. As much as she missed her daughters, she couldn't think of a better place to be then with her grandkids in paradise.

Deb paused in the doorway to the lanai looking around at her son's ohana and smiled. The team and Mary had gone out of their way to make sure that Deb and Denny were welcomed and loved, so Deb paused to watch them interact with each other and chuckled. She had worried about both Danny and Steve after their reception party but seeing the people they were surrounding themselves with instantly eased her worries. Danny and Steve weren't alone and now that she was here all the time she wouldn't have to worry about them so much.

"Alright dinner is ready." She announced moving out of the way when everyone rushed towards the extended dining room table set up on the lanai. Everyone was excited to have Mama Williams' lasagna, it wasn't everyday that they were spoiled with such good food (unless of course, Danny was in a generous mode and cooked for them).

"It smells so good Mrs. Williams." Mary complimented inhaling the sweet aroma of pasta. She always loved it when they had traditional family dinners. She and Steve shared a quick look both with soft smiles on their faces. Dinners like these were their way of making up for their messed up childhoods and they knew their parents were looking down on them with smiles on their faces.

"Please honey it's Deb, you're family sweetheart no need for the formality." Mary smiled and nodded, it was nice to be part of a family again and it meant the world to her.

"Dig in before it gets cold, I did not slave away on this just so you could look at it." Chin was the first one to dig into the pan of lasagna closest to him because he loved Deb's lasagna. He sparked everyone else and it was flurry of forks clanging on plates and Malia asking Deb about living in Jersey and Danny as a child.

"I bet you're happy to be here with Grace and Nathan." Mary commented as she and Kono helped Steve clear the table. Deb smiled and nodded at Nathan and Grace the love in her eyes making Danny and Steve smile broadly.

"I am extremely happy to be here with them. I'd love to spend more time with them."

"You know Danny, your mom and I would love to look after the kids for you while you guys are at work. It would probably save you guys a bundle on daycare for Nathan and you know we would never turn down time with our grandkids." Steve and Danny looked at each other having a silent conversation as everyone looked on in amazement.

"Are you seriously having a conversation with your eyes right now?" Mary asked always amazed at how in tune with each other Steve and Danny were.

"Yes, they do this all the time at work and it drives me nuts." Kono joked lighting nudging Steve in the ribs as she took a stack of plates into the kitchen.

"Mom we'd love for you to watch the kids for us, but I don't want to take advantage of you."

"I need something to do, I mean your father is going to start golfing again and I'll need something to do during the day." The boys nodded smiling in relief. They were spending a fortune on daycare and to be able to save that money and use it for something else, like their kids college funds would be awesome.

"If you're sure mom, we'd love it." Danny got up and kissed Deb's cheek already enjoying his mother being on the island.

"Hey Denny if you're serious about golfing, I think there's some retired cops that I could introduce you to that love golfing." Chin offered wanting to help making Deb and Denny feel at home at here in Hawaii.

"I'm sure I could talk to Mamo and see if he knows who's still here on the island." Steve added now leaning against the doorway into the kitchen. Denny nodded sharing a smile with his wife. They were going to love living here in Hawaii.

After dessert and the dishes were done everyone slowly started heading home leaving Steve and Danny with Deb and Denny. It was the perfect way to end such an awesome day.

"I'm so glad you guys are finally here." Danny leaned back in his chair feeling a sense of happiness he had never felt before. He felt complete with his parents finally so close.

"So are we son, this place is truly is beautiful and Nathan is a very awesome kid."

"I think he likes you a lot dad, he couldn't stop talking about his poppa and the clubhouse."

"It's gonna be even better than the one we had in Jersey Danny just you wait. Your kids and I are going have to have the best clubhouse and you two will be lucky if you're invited. In fact I was wondering if I could borrow your kids tomorrow so we could go pick out a swing set and some other stuff since they'll be spending a lot of time with us."

"Of course, you can take the truck if you want." Steve offered taking a long pull from his beer bottle. He had no problem letting Denny use their cars until they figured out their own car situation.

"Thank you, we'll need it if we find a swing set."

"We'd also like to keep the kids overnight to spend even more time with Nathan and Grace to make up for so much of the time we missed with them. I think you guys could use some time alone to catch up on sleep and just spend some time together. It's a win-win situation if you ask me."

"I'm not going to deny my parents time with my kids, so of course you can take them for the day. We'll have breakfast together and then you guys can go do your thing."

"Sounds great Danny, thank you for tonight it was amazing. We'll see you guys tomorrow morning. Come on Denny let's go home." Denny nodded and stood up following Steve into the house to get the keys to the truck from him.

Danny leaned back in his chair and smiled, today couldn't have gone any better and nothing was going to bring him down from the high of happiness he was currently riding. Hawaii wasn't that bad of a place now that he had everything he would ever want and need with him.

_**End Note: so how was it? Was Deb and Denny's arrival everything you wanted and more? I hope it was. But I look forward to your feedback for this chapter and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: see chapter one**

_**Author's Note: ah you guys are so amazing with your reviews and such for this story it truly means a lot to me. Alright so this story is going to involve a little bit of season two, which starts with this chapter that mentions parts of episode two of season two, it just goes in a way that works for this story. So now that you guy have that, let's get on with the story shall we? All errors are mine.**_

"Steve's not joining us this morning?" Deb asked as Danny and Nathan walked into the house early one morning.

"He has a meeting with the governor, which he is not happy about."

"Well the governor is not Steve's number one fan. But he'll be fine. Good morning Nathan, I made blueberry pancakes just for you. Poppa's out on the patio waiting for you with the cartoon section." Nathan nodded turning towards Danny who had bent down to hug Nathan before he left.

"Be good for Nonna. Daddy and I will see you later okay? Tell Poppa I say hello." Nathan nodded kissing Danny's cheek quickly before dropping his backpack on his way out to the patio where Denny sat reading the newspaper.

"Everything okay?" Deb asked handing over two travel cups of coffee. Danny shrugged and leaned against the counter watching Nathan and Denny reading the newspaper together.

"I don't know, the governor called late last night and asked to meet with Steve this morning. It sounded like a routine check-in meeting, but it doesn't feel right. We haven't had any major cases so there didn't really seem to be a reason for the meeting, but who knows. I'll see you later unless we catch a case."

"Call me if you need us to keep Nathan. Grace is Rachel's this week right?"

"Yeah, but she forgot her soccer uniform so Rachel's gonna see if she has the backup but if not I told her to call."

"I have no problem running over there to get it if need be, so just let me know."

"Will do. Thanks for the coffee ma."

"Love you be safe!" She called as Danny left the house running a little bit late for work. He sighed hoping her boys had a safe day.

Steve walked out of the governor's office fuming. He didn't even want to think about what had just happened and he was content to ignore the person walking beside him for as long as possible. He just needed to get back to HQ and talk to Danny; he would make Steve feel better about this whole mess. But of course his life just didn't seem to work like that and instead of having a day full of paperwork waiting for him they caught a case.

"We have a case so follow me." Steve spoke gruffly not even caring if the person next to him even heard him.

Danny looked up when he heard a car door slam and sighed. Steve had his pissed off SEAL face on and that face always meant trouble add in the fact that their case involved a dead teenager and Steve was just going to be unbearable. Danny saw the pretty blonde walking only steps behind Steve with her eyes glancing down Steve's body every few seconds and he could see the smile spread across her face. Danny sighed and grabbed Steve by the elbow before he could even say a word to any of the team. He smiled politely at the woman with Steve before excusing them into another part of the house.

"What's wrong?" Danny didn't poke up at Steve's face because he knew that Steve was in no mood for Danny's mocking of his many different facial expressions.

"I met our babysitter Agent Lori Weston. She's a profiler that the governor thinks will make an excellent addition to our team."

"And you think she's our babysitter?"

"It's the only explanation for just springing it on me and not even consulting me. I don't think that we need another member, we're doing just fine by ourselves." Danny nodded and lightly rubbed Steve's arm.

"Let's just get through this case and then we'll decide what to do about Agent Weston later okay?" Steve finally locked eyes with Danny and took a deep calming breath. Danny was right, their case was most important and together he and Danny would figure out what to do about their new member later.

"Alright, what do we got?" Steve asked motioning for Danny to walk him through the crime from the beginning. Danny could only smile before he launched into what had happened giving Steve the distraction he desperately needed.

Danny's plan of dealing with Lori later sounded simple and great when he had come up with it, but now watching Lori work with Steve it seemed horrendous. He could see the way she was trying to flirt with Steve, using the excuse of wanting to see how Five-0 worked and wanting to learn from the boss himself. While that was all well and good, Danny didn't see how subtly touching Steve's arm every few moments, giggling and smiling flirtatiously, and leaning against the computer table in such a way that showed off her best assets was helping her learn anything about Five-0. Now Danny was the one angry that this person was working with them.

Danny was not a jealous person, at least he tried not to be and he was usually okay with people hitting on Steve because it happened a lot. But Lori was different. She wasn't just some random stranger that hit on Steve and then left, she was always there using every moment she was in Steve's presence to try and impress Steve, grab his attention in any way possible. And given recent events that have brought Danny's insecurities and flaws to light, having Lori around was not helping Danny feel secure in his relationship with Steve.

Thankfully for Danny, he had amazing teammates that seem to know when Danny's about to blow up. Kono, as Danny's best friend, was the first to notice Danny's patience waning so she stepped in and took Lori with her to see the kid that set up the video yearbook. She shot Danny a glance that spoke more than she could in the few seconds on her way out of the door and Danny sagged in relief. He made a mental note to buy her something nice for being such a great friend.

Chin also noticed the way that Lori was always in Steve's space, always by his side (the spot reserved solely for Danny and Danny alone). He wasn't happy to see the new girl trying to get Steve's attention like that, anyone could see the ring on Steve's finger and it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that Danny was more than just his work partner, so Lori is either stupid or optimistic that she can put a wedge between Steve and Danny. So he made sure to help whenever he could to keep Lori busy so that she doesn't zero in on Steve. Chin's a newlywed who understands the possessive tinted thoughts that go through his head when someone tries to flirt with Malia and Chin really doesn't want to watch Danny lose his mind over this.

Danny had never been more thankful to have a case that hit so close to home and when cases involved kids of any age and adults that try to take advantage of them it hits Danny close to the vest. He sees himself in the parents and could only imagine an eighth of the pain they were going through not knowing where their daughter is and Danny can only think of Grace. Grace is the drive that forces him to push the thoughts about Lori hitting on Steve out of his mind and get Jen back with her family.

Steve can tell that something's off with Danny. Yes, he is acting like his normal self with the ranting and hating on just about everything Hawaiian, but he's more clipped and short. Steve can especially see it when he's dealing with Lori and it makes Steve scratch his head, he thought he would be the one that wouldn't be welcoming to Lori not Danny. Danny is the one in their partnership that is overly welcoming and friendly to everybody while Steve is reserved and calculating towards new people, so for the roles to be reversed worries Steve a little bit.

He doesn't get it until they're riding horseback towards on the ranch, Steve and Danny were bickering like the old married couple they are when Lori asks the joke that had started it all. "How long have you been married?" Steve and Danny looked at each other with coy smiles on their faces before Steve answered. It wasn't the question that threw Steve; it was the way she asked it almost as if she were making fun of them. But Steve was so used to the question he didn't pay any mind to it.

"A year and a half." Lori laughed it off thinking that they were yanking her chain as they reached the ranch. Danny shook his head in disbelief at how oblivious she was at what was right in front of her face. But he would focus on it later after they found Jen and returned her to her parents.

When they reached the ranch everything went to hell. Bullets went flying and Lori was shown just how crazy it was to be a part of Five-0, where getting hurt was required to fit in. When Lori was hit by one of the loonies living on the compound Danny wanted to tell her to brush it off and get up. But of course, Steve had to turn on his caring gene and make sure she was okay and Danny didn't miss the dazzling smile of thanks Lori sent him and it sent a chill down his spine. He knew he was going to have a talk with Steve about this, because he couldn't and wouldn't keep going like this.

When Jen was back to safety and away from her crazy grandfather Danny finally relaxed and the last thing he wanted to do was paperwork. He wanted to go home to his kids and his husband and unwind with a cold beer on the beach, and after the couple of days Danny has had he deserves it. He stood up and quickly shut down his computer and turned the lights off before deciding to rescue his Super SEAL. He stopped in the middle of the office when he saw Lori leaning over Steve's desk, over his shoulder, doing what seemed to be paperwork and Danny couldn't help the frustrated sigh at the sight. He was tired of Profiler Barbie hitting on his man and Steve doing nothing about it. He thought that they were on the same page when it came to why Danny was insecure about things like that, but it seemed as if Steve were still as dense as ever. Instead of letting out his inner Jersey street kid, Danny decides to continue on with his current plan minus his husband and heads out to pick them the kids from his parents and go home. He nodded at Kono as he walked back his office and smiled at Chin when he held the door open for Danny as they walked out together.

"You okay?" Chin asked moments after they had left HQ together.

"Yeah, just ready to go home and see the kids and get some sleep."

"I hear you, I feel like I haven't seen Malia in weeks." Danny nodded glancing back at HQ wondering if Steve would have noticed he left. "I wouldn't worry brah. You know he's only got eyes for you and he's dense to those around him not you."

"He should've said something by now, but whatever it's not important. What's important is that I finally get to see my kids for longer than twenty minutes." Danny replied brushing off the uncomfortable conversation as they reached their respective cars. "What matters is that we have the next forty eight hours off and you finally get to see your beautiful wife and I get to become reacquainted with my bed. Have a good night and don't take this the wrong way but I hope I don't see you for forty eight hours." Chin nodded and got into his car peeling out of his space and heading home.

Danny smiled as he pulled up this house, he was so happy to be home that he could literally kiss the driveway. He had hoped his mom had brought them food since the last time Danny had eaten properly was dinner the night before and he was starved. Quietly entering the house he wasn't surprised to see his mom and dad sitting on the couch watching some TV program Danny had never had the time to get into.

"Hey Danny, solve the case?" Deb asked already getting up to heat up some food for him. "Where's Steve?"

"Yeah we finished early this afternoon and Steve's doing paperwork. Thank you so much for staying with the kids, they aren't too upset are they?"

"No we kept them plenty distracted, but Nathan will be more than happy to see you guys."

"We miss them too."

"Here's some leftover roast beef from dinner and there's a plate in here for Steve too."

"Thanks ma, you guys can head out. We've got forty eight hours off so I'll come by tomorrow for breakfast." Deb nodded chalking up Danny's frustrated tone to his lack of sleep.

"Good night Danny, we'll see you tomorrow." Deb leaned down to kiss Danny's cheek as they left, leaving Danny alone to his thoughts.

When Steve came home he knew Danny was upset about something, but he was honestly too tired to even try to figure it out. He found the post-it note on the fridge and smiled, leave it to Danny to still be concerned about his well being even if there's something wrong between them. It makes Steve want to make sure that Danny's okay, no matter how tired he is. So he eats quickly and goes on a search to find Danny, which ends as soon as he looks out towards the ocean. He should've known that Danny would be in their chairs with a cooler of long boards in the middle.

"Hey." Danny doesn't bother to look up just takes a long pull from his bottle before raising it in a greeting. "Thanks for the post it about dinner."

"Thank my mom, she's the one that brought dinner over."

"What's wrong Danny? You left without saying anything earlier and thinking about it now I haven't really talked to you in days."

"I'm surprised you noticed, what with profiler Barbie hanging around you like she was a human sized backpack."

"She's just trying to get a handle on how we do things Danny, that's it. There's no need to feel threatened or anything." Danny felt anger boil in his veins at the light almost flippant tone to Steve's voice. He should've known that Steve wouldn't get why Danny felt like this.

"Do I need a reason to be threatened Steven?"

"No Danny calm down. You're blowing this out of proportion, it's nothing and there's nothing to worry about with Lori." Steve replied a small smile spread across his face as he watched Danny get angry.

"I'm glad you think this is funny Steven, I really do. I can't believe you think so little of how I feel about it. I don't have time for mockery from my husband especially when I don't think you even get why this upsets me so much." Danny finished off his bottle and stood up dropping the empty bottle into the cooler. "I'm too tired to deal with this right now."

"Where are you going?"

"My parents' house. I'll be back in the morning to take the kids to breakfast at their house. Goodnight Steven." Danny turned and walked through the house and out of the door. Steve watched him walk away thinking he would turn around and yell at him like he usually did, but as the seconds passed by and Danny didn't come back Steve knew he was fucked.

It took him less than two minutes to figure out what had brought this on and to call Mary to stay with the kids for a few minutes. He didn't bother getting his truck instead breaking out into a full run towards their parents' house. He finally sees Danny a block from the house. "Danny! Danny wait!" Steve called catching up to Danny and coming to a stop in front of him.

"What Steven?"

"I'm sorry. I thought you were just looking for a fight to blow off some steam. I'm sorry that I seemed to be brushing off your concerns about Lori and her behavior. But Danny you have nothing to worry about seriously. You and the kids are my world and I wouldn't ever do anything to jeopardize that, I love you okay? Lori is just another member of our team nothing more nothing less. Now please tell me you'll come home because honestly the last thing I want to deal with is a pissed off Deb." Steve held Danny's hand searching his eyes for any sign of what he was going to say.

"That's all I needed to hear babe and I'm sorry for the way I reacted. I'm just tired and it just all came out." Danny whispered after a few moments of silence passed between them. He knew the situation had been blown out of proportion and that he was partly to blame. But still he needed to get it out of his system so they could have this moment and move on.

"I could see your inner Jersey street kid about to come out. Now let's go home because I just want to sleep for days and spend time with my family. Sound good Danno?"

"Sounds perfect Super SEAL." Danny replied not hesitating to grab Steve's hand as he turned them back towards the house. Danny still didn't trust Lori; he knew that issue was far from resolved but Steve now knew how Danny felt and that there was a problem. Danny was prepared to make sure that nobody even thinks about trying to come between his family.

_**A/N 2: So I guess I should of mentioned that I don't really like Lori, I honestly didn't see the point of her being there at all. Plus she seemed to try and get between McDanno which is not cool. Now with that out of the way, how was it? I hope you guys enjoyed it. And just to let you guys know the next week is going to be crazy I have a job interview tomorrow and I have to start packing for school so I'm not sure when the next update will be, but until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: see chapter one.**

_Author's Note: You guys truly are amazing with your kind word and reviews, this story has the best readers ever I love you guys. I can't thank you enough for all the love. So this chapter and subsequent chapters will cover Episode 2.10 "Ki'ilua" with the events happening in the way that works for this story. That means that this doesn't cover the episode completely it only has the major plot points of the episode with everything else my contributions. Mistakes are all mine, but I hope you guys enjoy!_

It had been a few weeks since Lori had joined Five-0 and Danny was going out of his way to make sure that she knew who Steve's partner was. He knew that she had finally gotten the hint that Steve was off the market, yet that didn't stop her from constantly having to be in Steve's personal space. She claimed to anyone that gave her questioning looks that she was merely just trying to get a handle on Five-0 because she wanted to fit in.

Steve, although still slightly oblivious to her flirting, was aware to know that Danny wasn't happy with her actions. He knew that it bothered Danny that their new teammate had taken such a strong liking to him, but Steve also knew that Danny wasn't going to do anything until it got out of hand. So Steve made sure that Lori knew that Danny was Steve's partner. Neither man wanted to make things unbearable at the office so Danny decided to wait and see just how far she was going to take it. If he had his way he would wait until Lori made a pass and then have her fired for sexual harassment.

So it wasn't odd these days to see Danny working in Steve's office or vice versa. Steve made sure that he was always close to Danny at their staff meetings, but when it came to their cases they kept it the same with their switching partners policy in the field. Steve even went into the field with Lori but kept the conversation to only work related topics while also taking every opportunity to flash his wedding ring whenever he could.

Things got inherently more interesting when Jenna Kaye called Steve asking if he could meet her at Kamekona's. Steve had looked at Danny from across the breakfast table each sharing a look of confusion and curiosity as to why Jenna was calling now. Although Danny had no ill feelings towards Jenna, even owed her a lot for her contribution in getting Steve out of jail two years ago, her calling meant something was going on with Wo Fat and that was the last thing they needed. Steve had finally started to stop focusing so hard on finding Wo Fat and was starting to finally put himself first. Danny sighed and nodded his thought process following the same process as Steve's. The look on Steve's face when he hung up the phone told Danny had Jenna had asked to meet and Steve wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"Want me to come with?" Danny didn't know if he really wanted to go with Steve, he wasn't sure he could handle whatever news she brought with her. But he knew that it was going to rock their world in either a good way or bad way. Steve thought about it for a moment but shook his head no. He didn't want to bring Danny into whatever Jenna needed him for. They dropped the subject when Nathan asked Steve why he wasn't eating his oatmeal. Danny smiled at Nathan and loved his kids for their ability to remind them what's important in life.

The drive to work was silent with each wrapped up in their own thoughts. Whatever news Jenna had to share with Steve was going to completely change the game on them and Danny was sure if he was prepared to deal with anything else at the moment.

"I'll call you when I'm on the way back okay?" Steve finally spoke as they pulled up to the Palace. Danny turned in his seat making no motions to get out of the car.

"You sure you're gonna be okay?" The _without me _was implied and Steve smiled at the concern. He felt truly lucky to have such an amazing man so worried and concerned about him no matter what he did.

"Yeah Danno I'll be fine. Hold down the fort for me while I'm gone?"

"I always hold down the fort even when you're here babe. Don't do anything remotely SEAL like with Jenna and come back in one piece."

"Promise no grenades, firefights, or fist fights. I'll call for backup."

"Yeah I better be your first phone call mister. Be safe." Steve nodded watching silently as Danny finally got out of the car and headed into the office. Danny turned and watched Steve pull away a horrible knot forming in his stomach. "This is not going to end well." Danny whispered with a shake of his head before turning and heading into the office. All he could do was sit and wait to see what damage there would be.

Steve sat down at the picnic table and smiled at Jenna Kaye. It was good to see her because she had been beneficial to both his team and himself personally for a time and they had been sad to see her go. But this visit wasn't a social call and Steve was interested to see how he could be of any help to her.

"What can I do for you?" Jenna took a deep breath and glanced around at the beach behind Steve. Steve started drumming his fingers on the table while his patience began to run out. Although this was much better than working on paperwork all day, Steve didn't like wasting time.

"I have information on Josh's whereabouts." Steve looked up sharply a smile beginning to spread across his face.

"That's great Jenna, where is he?"

"I tracked his last movement to a small compound in North Korea. He must have gone there after his op went bad and they decided to wait for backup." Steve nodded knowing how the CIA worked. "He's alive Steve and I need to go get him."

"Are you completely sure that he's there?"

"I'm one hundred percent positive." Steve nodded looking at the information Jenna had taken out of her bad to show him. "I know I'm asking a lot here, but I need someone I can trust to help get him out of there."

"I want to help you Jenna, I really do. But I need to talk to Danny first, he's my partner and this affects him too."

"I understand."

"I promise I'll do whatever I can to help you okay?" Jenna nodded and stood up at the same time as Steve. Steve gave into impulse and hugged Jenna thinking she needed the comfort.

"Thank you for even meeting me." Steve just shrugged and with a final wave turned back towards the Camaro. He had no idea how Danny was even going to react to this bombshell.

Steve knew it was the worst time to even broach the topic with Danny because they were in the middle of a case and the governor was breathing down their neck to solve the case, but he needed Danny's opinion on the matter.

"Hey babe, what's up?" Danny asked looking up from Steve's laptop his chest immediately tightening at the look on his face.

"I need to talk to you about something." Danny nodded watching Steve begin to pace the short length of his office. "Jenna asked me to do something and it's a big deal Danno, it's the biggest favor someone could ask for. She found her fiancé Josh."

"That's great babe, I'm not seeing the problem here, unless he's in a foreign country that doesn't like the United States." Steve stopped in the middle of his trip across the office and turned to Danny. "I was kidding babe."

"She has good intel that says he's in North Korea about five miles from the border from what I could tell. It would be an easy trip through the jungle, grab him and hike back over the border."

"Babe we're talking about major stuff here. If you get caught you could be imprisoned or killed over there!" Danny quietly shouted standing up quickly from his chair. "I understand that you feel as if you need to help her, but babe what about me and the kids? What am I supposed to tell them if you get caught?"

"I know Danny that's why I'm here talking it through with you. But think about it, doesn't Jenna deserve that same chance with the man she loves? Doesn't she deserve to have kids and the love of her life? Plus Danny it's me, I'm a highly trained SEAL who can do extractions like this in my sleep. The danger would be well worth the risk, I have to do this Danny."

The silence dragged on as Danny and Steve just stared at each other each trying to process the situation they had found themselves in. Lori opened the door to ask Danny a question and felt the tension within seconds.

"Do you want me to come back?" She asked looking between the two wondering what she had walked into. Steve went to open his mouth but Danny beat him to it.

"Yes my partner and I are trying to have a private conversation, I'm sure that Chin or Kono can help you with whatever you're having problems with." Danny replied pushing on the open door thus pushing Lori out of the office. Leaning against the door he looked Steve in the eye.

"What's your heart telling you to do?" He whispered fearing that he knew the answer that was going to come out of his mouth.

"I need to help her do this Danny. I have to help her, she was there for me when I was arrested Danny. I owe her." Danny nodded and ran a hand over his face. He didn't have a good feeling about this at all. He could feel it deep in his bones that this was possibly going to end horribly, but if there was anyone that could do it Steve could. The man was trained for any situation and could easily take care of himself.

"I know you don't need my permission but I'm as okay as I'm ever going to be with you doing this. But I need you to promise that you'll do whatever it takes to come back to me." Steve flew across the office and wrapped his arms tightly around Danny holding him tight to his body.

"I promise Danno, I'll come back. I'll always come back." Steve rested his forehead against Danny's holding his face in his hands.

"I love you." Danny whispered not caring that they were in an office with glass walls or that anybody could walk in. He was too busy memorizing every feature of Steve's face and feeling of his body pressed against his. Steve gave into the intense urge to kiss Danny trying to kiss the worry and fear out of his mind.

Danny pressed back hard, pulling his body even tighter against Steve's. He needed this moment, needed to feel Steve's body against his. Danny finally pulled back his forehead still resting against Steve's. "What are we going to tell the kids?"

"I have to call Jenna to set things up, but I'll stop by mom's and tell Nathan I'm going on a business trip and I don't know how I'm going to tell Gracie."

"We'll pull her out early. She can stay with mom until we wrap this case." Steve nodded and kissed Danny hard again. It was the first time in their relationship that they've been apart and the risks involved with this mission were too much for Danny even to think about.

"I'm coming back Danny, I'm coming back." He repeated stroking Danny's cheek lightly. It was the mantra that would get them through this entire mission.

"I won't think otherwise." Steve nodded and reluctantly pulled away so Danny could call Grace's school and Steve had a mission to get ready for.

Steve quickly left Danny's office before he could change his mind about leaving. He kept repeating the mantra that he was coming back as he left to go break the news to his kids.

Danny waited until Steve had left HQ before falling into his chair with his head in his hands. He wasn't sure if he could handle this, he wasn't sure he could tell himself that Steve was coming back. So many people had screwed them over in the past that it wasn't hard to think that Jenna would do the same thing. It took what felt like forever for Danny to get out of his own head and back to work, but finally Danny got up from the chair and threw himself into the case.

As much of a distraction the case proved to be, it didn't keep Danny from thinking about Steve. He knew he was going to worry, even if they weren't married or even together Danny was going to worry. The panic rose in his chest when Kono dropped the bomb that the reporter that had died had been talking to Jenna. All the thoughts that Danny had tried to keep at bay came rushing forward with such intensity it almost knocked him off his feet, but he told himself that Steve was going to come home. But how Steve was going to come home was the question Danny wasn't ever going to be ready to answer.

Danny was writing the report for their latest case when his phone rang. His heart stopped as he checked the caller id not recognizing the number. A million thoughts flew through his head as he hit the accept button. "Danny, it's Jenna." Danny flew out of his office towards the computer table snapping his fingers at Chin.

"Start a trace right now!" He screamed placing his phone on the table.

"Jenna, what's going on? Where's Steve?" Danny fired off staring frantically at the table to see where Jenna was.

"I'm so so-any." Jenna broke off making Danny feel even worse about this whole situation. He needed to know that Steve was okay. He had to hear his voice.

"Jenna you're breaking up what's going on?"

"Wo Fat-ny." Danny looked up at Chin, who returned his frantic look. Wo Fat was not something he wanted to hear right now. "I'm-" Danny heard the loud crash and loud voices before he couldn't hear anything anymore. He looked up at Chin who shook his head, they had only gotten a broad idea as to where Steve and Jenna were. Danny's worse nightmare was coming true. He felt the room begin to spin and he couldn't breathe, he pulled at his tie trying to alleviate the pressure on his wind pipe as he gasped for breath.

"Danny!" Kono shouted flying to his side and trying to figure out what was wrong. Danny kept gasping for air his hands shaking as he tried to grab Kono.

"Steve." Danny gasped before he passed out in Kono's arms.

_**Endnote: what a cliffhanger right? What is possibly going to happen to our favorite couple? I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and don't worry everything is going to be resolved in the coming chapters. Let me know what you guys thought and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	10. Chapter 10

**amaDisclaimer: see chapter one**

_**Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews of the previous chapter, your reaction to the ending was great. Would you believe that I had no idea that was going to be the end? This chapter should really be two chapters, but I decided that since I don't know if I'll be able to update until sometime next week that I should give you both of them. So sorry in advance for the mistakes and I hope you enjoy!**_

Danny could hear the beep of the heart monitor before he even opened his eyes and left the IV in his arm. He hoped for a brief moment that when he opened his eyes Steve would be there holding his hand and apologizing for landing him in the hospital. When he finally worked up the courage to open his eyes he was met with his mother sitting in the chair next to him while Kono stood across the room watching him anxiously.

"Thank god." Kono whispered flying across the room to be at Danny's side. Deb grabbed Danny's hand and smiled sweetly at him. Danny could see the relief in her eyes.

"What happened?" Danny rasped looking between the two.

"You had a panic attack and passed out. You woke up when the paramedics arrived and started yelling about Steve so they sedated you. You scared the hell out of us brah." Danny looked over at his mother and squeezed her hand.

"I'm glad you're okay Danny, you had all of us worried for a little bit."

"I'm sorry."

"Nobody's mad Danny, we're just worried." Kono left out the part about Steve since she was sure Danny's mom didn't know where Steve was and what he was doing. She had only found out after Chin had filled her in because Steve had asked him to look after Danny and the kids. He was trying to protect them if something went wrong.

"I need to get out of here. I have to find Steve." Danny replied sitting up and trying to pull the IV out of his hand.

"Lay back down Daniel. The doctor needs to check you out first and then you're going to tell me what the hell is going on here." Danny wanted to fight back, wanted to scream at her that he wasn't sure what the hell was going on. All he knew was that Jenna had betrayed them and that he had no idea if Steve was alive and dead. He needed to get Steve back.

Danny had been released from the hospital with strict orders from the doctor to take it easy. He was still fragile from his mother of all panic attacks and they didn't want him to hurt himself. Danny nodded and smiled as he assured the doctor that he wouldn't be doing anything stressful. He had learned from Steve, the best at assuring medical professionals that he would of course take it easy and then minutes later throw himself out of a moving car to catch their suspect.

He waited exactly two seconds after stepping out of the hospital before announcing he was going to see the governor to see what he could do for them. Deb and Kono tried to protest but Chin stopped them with a hand, he knew Danny and he wasn't going to stop until he had Steve back. "You can either help him stay somewhat relaxed or you can get out of the way. He's going to get Steve back whether we help him or not." Kono nodded as Chin offered to drive Danny to Denning's office. Kono turned and smiled at Deb trying to reassure her.

"I promise Deb, we'll take care of Danny and bring Steve home no matter what."

"Please keep me posted." Kono nodded and jumped into her car speeding off towards HQ to see what more she could find out about where Steve was.

Danny stalked into HQ slamming every door and muttering angry things under his breath. He couldn't believe after everything that Five-0 had done for Hawaii and the governor couldn't do anything for them. Sure Steve had gone into a country that would love nothing more than to catch an American in their country that would probably start an international incident, but still their governor should at least be able to tell Danny who can help him. "Stupid politics, stupid pineapple infested hellhole, stupid stupid stupid!" Danny yelled slamming things around, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Let me guess the governor wasn't any help?" Chin calmly asked trying to focus Danny's anger and try to help him relax. They had all see him pass out and nobody wanted to relive that tragic event. Danny turned towards Chin, the mean sarcastic answer sitting on his tongue but one look at Chin's calm face had Danny shutting his mouth and taking a deep breath.

"Since Steven is on a persona mission into a country that we're not supposed to be in, he cannot provide us any governmental resources. He hopes that we solve this mess quickly and quietly, the last thing he wants is the leader of his task force wrapped up in some international incident."

"So now what do we do?" Kono asked suddenly looking like the young woman she was instead of the seasoned cop she had become. Danny sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose taking a few moments to collect himself.

"I'm going to talk to Joe White, hopefully he'll be able to actually help us and come up with a plan."

"Anything we can do while you go play SEAL hunter?" Chin asked bringing a small smile to Danny's face.

"Steve has an address book in his desk with a bunch of his former SEAL buddies, try giving them a call and see who will help."

"Alright we'll get right on that. Call if you need help okay? Because I swear Danny if you end up in the hospital again I will make sure you have to stay forever." Kono warned giving in and hugging Danny tightly. Danny relished in the comfort for a moment and nodded, he knew Kono would make good on her threat. Danny knew he was lucky to have such amazing friends and would risk their careers to help him.

Thankfully Danny had actually been paying attention to everything and anything Steve said or did, because it made finding Joe White a hell of a lot easier. Steve had remarked on Joe's choice of places to meet and somehow Danny had remembered all of them and knew exactly where he might find Steve's former mentor.

"Ah Detective Williams, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Joe asked placing his rifle down on the bed of his truck and leaning against it.

Danny resisted the urge to correct his title. "I need your help, it's about Steve."

"What's wrong?" Joe asked immediately standing at alert not liking the defeated tone of Danny's voice.

"You remember Jenna Kaye, from when we had to get Steve out of jail?" Joe nodded having a vague recollection of her. "Well she asked Steve to help get her fiancé from North Korea and Steve being Steve, especially now couldn't say no. He had to help her achieve the happiness he has in his life and I agreed. I let him go into a foreign country knowing that something was going to happen and I was right. It was a set-up and that bastard Wo Fat has my husband and I have to get him back!" Danny replied his voice gradually getting louder until the reality finally hit him, his husband was being held captive by the man that had killed his father. Joe smiled softly at Danny and grabbed his shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.

"We'll get him back Danny, I promise. Let me make some calls and I'll meet you at HQ in an hour. I promise we'll get him back." Danny nodded and smiled at Joe.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, we've got a lot of work to do. Get your team ready Detective Williams, they're going to have a tough decision to make."

"It's McGarrett Williams, Detective McGarrett Williams." Danny finally corrected giving Joe a courtesy nod before turning and heading back to his car finally letting the hope swell in his heart. He knew that Joe was going to help them and he would do whatever it took to get his husband back.

He drove back to HQ and got the team together. It wasn't an easy conversation asking them to risk their lives and careers to help him. The possibly of ruining their lives is too much for Danny, he can't even fathom what he's about to do to his own family. But he vowed that he would always be Steve's backup and he wasn't about to take that back any time soon.

"I know I'm asking a lot and I completely understand if you say no." Danny finished looking at his team with worry and understanding swirling in his eyes.

"We're ohana Danny and we protect our ohana. You guys were there for me when I needed it and you guys gave me back my life. I owe you guys and I know the risks, but how could I stay home with my wife while your husband's out there wouldn't be right. I'm right there with you." Danny couldn't help the tears that fell from his eyes as he grabbed Chin in a fierce hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"Chin's right Danny, we're ohana and Nathan needs his daddy Steve just as much as his Danno. So of course I'm in. Plus you need me because I'm mini-McGarrett Williams." Danny chuckled and nodded pulling a teary eyed Kono into a hug. Lori sat back and watched wondering who they were talking about and finding the whole scene adorable. It was nice to be surrounded by so much love and she could only hope that they accepted her into their ohana.

Everybody had their game faces on when Joe walked in some time later with their saving grace. He had the whole thing laid out for them and after hearing about the plan they were ready. By this time tomorrow they would be hopefully be that much closer to getting Steve out.

Steve gasped for air when he came to and tried to stretch his hands but found he couldn't move them. He knew without opening his eyes that he was hanging by his hands given the lack of feeling he's already feeling in his arms. He opens his eyes and searches the room noting the way the sunlight was streaming in through the lone window and knew that he hadn't been out long, an hour or two tops. _'An hour or two too long.'_ Steve thought bitterly betrayal and shame washing over him. He should've known better, should've seen the drop coming. For a brief moment he hated Danny for making him soft, for dulling his SEAL instincts and then immediately felt disgust pool in his stomach. _'Danny didn't do this to you, you thought Jenna could be trusted. You were the one that fought so hard to help her, you saw the doubtful look on Danny's face.'_ Steve fought in his head fighting against his restraints to see how strong they were. He finally looked up and saw the iron shackles and let his head fall forward. _'Danno is going to kill me, if I get out of here.'_ Steve yet again surveyed the room already planning his different escape routes if he could get out of his restraints. His ears perked up when he heard someone walking towards the room. He waited with bated breath to see who walked through the door.

"Good Afternoon Commander McGarrett, I'm happy to see you awake."

"What do you want Wo Fat?" Wo Fat punched him square in the jaw for his tone, sending Steve's head reeling back from the blow.

"We need to have a little chat McGarrett. I want you to tell me about Shelburne." Steve blanched at the word. He knew that Shelburne was going to come back and bite him in the ass and he really hated Joe White at the moment for not telling him about the mysterious person.

"I don't know about Shelburne Wo Fat." His answer was reward with a crowbar to the side and Steve felt the impact deep into his bones.

"Now is not the time for games Commander. I want answers and I'm going to get them."

"I don't know about Shelburne. I don't know who told you I did, but they're wrong." Yet again Wo Fat didn't like Steve's answer and punished him with five more hard blows with the crowbar before he tossed it across the room and picking up a cattle prod.

"What did Joe White tell you about Shelburne?" He tried looking at Steve, almost daring him to lie again.

"Joe didn't tell me anything." Wo Fat shook his head and put the hot prod against Steve's skin making him cry out in pain. He had a feeling this wasn't going to end well for him.

The torture went on for what felt like hours to Steve's bruised and battered body until Wo Fat finally put the prod down and sighed. "I think you need some time to think about your situation-" Wo Fat started but was interrupted by his men bringing Jenna into the room. Steve looked at her trying to figure out who he hated more her for lying to him or himself for willingly walking into this situation. He wanted to know why she had done this to him. One of the men shackled Jenna to the wall before going back to the hushed conversation.

"I'm sorry, but this wasn't for nothing." Jenna threw the pin across the floor before Wo Fat could turn around. "Please tell Danny I'm sorry." Wo Fat turned back towards Jenna and shot her twice without even thinking about it. He turned towards Steve, who in shock just stared at Jenna's lifeless body. He looked at Wo Fat anger burning in his eyes with a twinge of fear. He knew he had to buy some time.

"Now where were we? Ah yes, I assume that my little show motivated you to finally give me some answers correct?" Steve nodded his mind flashing to Danny and the kids. He wanted them to know that he tried everything he could to get back to them.

"I know where Shelburne is." Wo Fat nodded obviously pleased with Steve's answer. He turned to one of the men still in the room with them.

"Get the truck ready we're leaving in twenty minutes." The guy nodded and left the room. "You made a wise decision Commander." Steve watched him leave the room and waited a few moments to see if he would come back. When all he heard was silence he pulled his feet up to his hands so he could grab the pin. He made quick work of his releasing his hands trying to get the blood flow back before he took off. He snuck quickly through the dirty building sighing in relief when he stepped into the fresh air. He was almost there.

"Nice try Commander." Wo Fat sneered before Steve was pistol whipped and the world went black, the last thought on his mind being Danny.

Danny sat up quickly as the plane roughly hit the tarmac gasping for air, a sudden ache at the back of his head. He started taking deep calming breaths when he felt Kono's hand rubbing up and down his back as he willed his racing heart to calm down. "We're going to get him Danny. You know that, just keep breathing." Danny nodded as the plane came to a complete stop. "Get your game face on Mc-Will we've got a SEAL to rescue." Danny smiled at the nickname before putting his game face on as they got off the plane. It was time to see just how much of Steve's SEAL techniques rubbed off on him.

Steve came too in the back of the truck as it jostled him to and fro. He was relieved to see that he was alone he thought he had a chance of escaping but he heard the truck behind them and knew he wouldn't be able to make a clean get away. He closed his eyes and prayed for a miracle because he was running out of hope and his mantra wasn't working anymore. He put his head between his bent knees and hoped this nightmare ended soon.

He kept his head down as they traveled through what Steve thought was the jungle. He tried to guess how long they had been traveling by the sunlight streaming through the tarp covering the back of the truck but the tarp kept moving before Steve could figure out anywhere close to a time. The more they traveled the more hope he lost, he only hoped that Danny wouldn't be incredibly pissed if he were to die out here. Just as Steve was giving himself over to the fate he thought he was heading towards a loud explosion could be heard only feet in front of the truck. As Steve slid down into a fetal position he felt hope swell in his chest that his miracle was happening.

Danny readjusted the strap of his rifle on his shoulder as he glanced around the tree towards Joe who was surveying the area with Gutches waiting for his cue. As he waited he recalls all the tips Steve had given him when they had gone to the firing range. It had been Steve's idea of good quality time between them to train Danny SEAL style on how to fire a rifle.

_ Steve watched Danny adjust the rifle in his hand and shook his head. Danny was still holding it the way they taught him to in the academy. He had tried to tell Danny numerous times and he still wasn't getting it, so Steve was just going to have to show him. Steve slid behind Danny molding his body to Danny's bringing his hands up behind Danny's. "Relax your grip Danno, like this." Danny nodded holding his breath as his relaxed his fingers. "Relaxing allows you the ability to move quickly with your target. Do not take your eyes off your target. Do you see your target?" Danny nodded not trusting his ability to speak coherently at the moment. Steve's dominant SEAL voice was doing things to Danny's body and it was an incredible task to even remember to breath with Steve plastered against his body like this. "Ready. Aim. Fire." Steve whispered directly into Danny's ear pausing between each word as Danny grabbed his trigger and pulled firing off a perfect shot. "Perfect."_

_ Danny made sure the safety was on his rifle before he placed it down on the counter and turned with Steve a wet, dirty, but insanely hot kiss that made Steve smirk. "It's my turn to show you a few things sailor." Steve chuckled allowing Danny to pull him from the firing range and back towards the Camaro. "I'm ready to learn Detective." Steve replied his voice hard with lust loving the effect his lesson had had on Danny._

Danny relaxed his grip as Joe nodded at him, it was show time. Taking a deep breath Danny waited knowing that Steve was close by and he was going to enjoy every single round he fired at the bastards that thought they could mess with his SEAL. Danny took one last calming breath before he saw the signal and became raining hell down on Wo Fat's minions.

Steve curled tighter into himself when he heard the first shots. He waited with bated breath watching the tarp to see if anyone was going to try and get him out of here. He didn't move or breathe harder than necessary to make as little noise as possible. When the tarp was finally pulled back and the sunlight streamed in, Steve shielded his eyes as he sat up waiting to see what happened next. "Steve." Chin spoke wasting no time to jump into the truck to release Steve's hands from their binds.

"Danno?" Steve managed to say behind the lump that had formed in his throat. Chin looked down at him fondly and nodded towards the back of the truck where Danny stood speechless, eyes large with tears. Steve smiled brightly at his Danno as Chin helped him up, he heard the gasp from Danny and knew he caught sight of the many bruises and burns adorning Steve's muscular body. He wanted to tell Danny he was alive, but he couldn't speak around the think lump in his throat and tears in his eyes. He didn't think he'd ever see Danny again.

"Babe." Danny whispered helping Steve down from the truck. Steve didn't hesitate to push past the pain and hug Danny tightly to his body. "Let's get out of here." Steve nodded and shifted so that both Chin and Danny could help Steve walk through the jungle. Steve would squeeze Danny's shoulder every few steps just to make sure that he was really there and he wasn't dreaming. Danny would squeeze his hand right back. "I'm never letting go." Danny whispered as they reached the chopper.

Neither saw Lori fly out of the chopper and throw herself at Steve. The impact was hard enough to knock Danny's hold on Steve thus pushing him away from Steve. He stared in shock with his mouth open as Lori hugged Steve, as if she were the one worried the most about him. He saw her lips moving and had the strong urge to rip her away from him. Joe stepped in and told her they had to get a move on and Chin stepped in when Lori moved to help Steve into the chopper. Lori sighed and got back into the front seat as Chin and Danny helped Steve into the chopper maneuvering him so he was leaning completely against Danny, who did not look upset at all as he wrapped his arms gingerly around Steve holding him loosely against his body.

As they took off Steve looked at Chin ready to thank him when Chin shook his head putting his hand up to stop him.

"You can thank me by being my baby's godfather." Steve smiled and nodded relaxing a little bit more now that he had a rifle in his hands and Danny's arms around him. He tilted his head back to look at Danny and smiled.

"I'll always come for you babe." Danny whispered leaning down to kiss Steve's forehead not giving a damn that they were surrounded by SEALS and their team. A silence fell among the group as they relished in a job well done.

Kono was beyond happy to see Steve when they landed. She wasted no time wrapping her boss into a gentle yet fierce hug letting a few tears fall from her eyes. "I think it's time we get out of this horrible country and back to our pineapple infested paradise you all love so much." Danny joked still holding onto Steve. He didn't complain about having Steve leaning so heavily on him, it was the only thing keeping Danny together at the moment. Everyone agreed and they quickly and quietly boarded the plane that would take them home with smiles on their faces.

"Ya know I find it a bit funny that we started this thing in the hospital and we're ending it in the hospital."

"Yeah brah, this better be the last time we're in the hospital for a while." Steve looked at Danny with panic and worry overpowering the pain in his eyes.

"Relax babe, I'm fine."

"Fine, Danny you had a panic attack so large you passed out. You were out cold on the floor of HQ, that's not fine."

"The doctor said it was brought on by extreme stress which hearing that your partner was captured by a man that wants him killed in a foreign country almost ten hours by plane away from you is extreme stress. I'm fine now." Danny replied lightly squeezing Steve's hand letting his warmth wash over him and help him relax. Steve sighed and looked down at his hand; he didn't like knowing that he had put Danny in the hospital.

"I'm sorry." He whispered so quietly Danny's surprised he even heard it. He turned towards Steve shocked at the guilt swimming in Steve's dull eyes.

"We'll talk it about it after you've recovered a bit, but babe you have nothing to be sorry for." Danny soothed rubbing his thumb across the back of Steve's hand. He shifted when he saw Steve fighting to stay awake so that Steve could rest comfortably against Danny. "Go to sleep babe, I've got you." And for the first time in days both Steve and Danny slept soundly and relaxed.

The next time Steve woke up he was in the hospital hooked up to more machines then he could see without moving his head. He looked around the room and met Danny's eyes feeling both his body relax and his heart slow down knowing that Danny was there. "Good morning sleepy head. The doctor will want to check you out now that you're awake."

"I'll go get him Danny." Deb spoke up from her place in the corner of the room, where she seemed to be serving as their protection detail. Danny smiled at her and moved so he could help Steve sit up after he watched Steve struggle to sit up.

"Here babe, let me help you." Steve nodded as Danny helped him shift so he could sit up. "Take a sip of water." Danny held the cup out to Steve who happily took a long sip of the nice cold water.

"Where's the kids?" Steve managed to ask with his scratchy throat.

"With my dad. I didn't want to bring them around until you were awake for longer than two minutes and not in so much pain."

"I want to see them." Before Danny could answer Deb returned with the doctor and Danny moved to the back of the room so they could check Steve out. He had refused to leave the room every time they ask him to and the nurses gave up trying after Danny threatened to call the governor.

"Well Commander it seems that resting for as long as you did seemed to do wonders for your injuries. You're not completely healed but you're out of the woods. I want to keep you for another day to make sure no there is no internal bleeding or damage we couldn't see before. How's your pain level on a scale of one to ten?"

"Be honest Steve, don't pull that SEAL bullshit." Steve shook his head and focused in on the pain.

"7, but I don't want strong drugs." The doctor went to protest but Danny was at Steve's side immediately explaining his partner's statement.

"He doesn't like drugs that knock him out and he won't take them. So maybe just lower the dosage so it doesn't completely knock him out? I promise he'll take them." The doctor didn't look happy but nodded and said something to the nurse as they left the room promising to be back later to check on him.

"Danny why don't you go get your dad and the kids?" Deb spoke leaving no room for argument. Danny looked between Steve and his mom before nodded. Once Danny left the room Steve immediately felt nervous, he had no idea how much Danny had told her about his trip and how she felt about his trip. "Relax Steve. I only know a bare minimum because Danny's trying to protect me he says. What you did was admirable, trying to help out someone you thought was a friend and I'm sorry that you had to get hurt in the process. And I know that you have a long road of recovery so I want you to know that Denny and I are here for you, Danny, and the kids. We want to make your recovery as smooth as possible." Steve nodded reaching out to hold Deb's hand. He had gone so long without family that he wasn't used to such selfless love, it was a little overwhelming.

"How were the kids?" Steve wanted to know how much the kids knew before they got there.

"Grace thinks that you went on a training excursion and got hurt and Denny told Nathan you were fighting the bad guys like the super hero he thinks you are. How are you feeling really?"

"I've dealt with worse and honestly I just want to see the kids and Danny. I want to be surrounded by my family." Deb nodded and squeezed Steve's hand letting a comfortable silence fall between them for a few minutes. She let Steve have a few moments before she began telling him about the adventures the kids while they were away. Steve was surprised that Rachel let Grace spend time with Deb and Denny while they were away; he thought for sure that she would have kept her all to herself.

"I think she's really coming around to how wrong she was." Steve nodded hoping that she was right because he didn't think he had the energy to deal with anything Rachel could possibly do. Deb and Steve were talking when the door opened and Nathan peeked around the door to see if his daddy was really there. Steve smiled when he saw Nathan's face and patted a spot on the bed. Nathan's face lit up and he took off towards the bed pausing only so Danny could gently place him on the bed.

"Remember we have to be careful, but you can hug him. I think Daddy could use a hug." Steve nodded too choked up to say anything. Towards the end he thought he would never see his kids again. Nathan gently wrapped his arms around Steve's neck so happy to see him. Steve saw Grace standing shyly at the end of the bed watching Steve hug Nathan.

"Come here Gracie." Steve managed to choke out watching her walk to the other side of the bed and grab his hand. Steve shook his head and pulled on her hand until she was on the bed and wrapping her arms around both Steve and Nathan. Danny stood back watching his kids comfort Steve and couldn't help but tear up a little bit. He thought that he would ever get to see them all together. It was emotionally overwhelming to be in this moment. Grace saw Danny and slid off of the bed deciding that Danno needed some comfort as well.

"Thanks Monkey." Danny whispered squeezing his daughter for being so sweet and thoughtful.

"I'm glad daddy's back."

"Me too Monkey, me too."

"Come here Danno." Steve croaked waving Danny and Grace over. Danny smiled and sat down on the bed allowing Steve to wrap his arm around his waist as Grace settled with Nathan in her lap. Having his family with him was the best medicine that Steve could ever have. He listened to Grace as she talked about her science fair project and the ideas she had and lit up when Steve offered to help in any way possible and listened to Nathan talk about how much work they had gotten done on the club house. Nathan hadn't left Steve's side the entire time they were there.

They spent the entire day in Steve's hospital room catching up on the week Steve lost with them. It hurt Steve to hear all the things he missed but every time he would start to shut down Danny was right there holding his hand telling him all that matter was that he was there with them. All they wanted was to have Steve back with them, it didn't matter that he had missed a week, he was going to be there for the big milestones like Nathan's first birthday with them and Grace's birthday and other important milestones.

Danny watched Nathan and Grace fight to stay awake so they could spend more time with Steve and smiled. He could see Steve cataloging every little thing to carry him through the time they were apart and it made Danny's chest tight. When Nathan's eyes closed and his head fell back against Steve's shoulder, Danny knew it was time to get them home and into bed. Thankfully Deb stepped in before him so she would take the blame for cutting their time short, they only had an hour left of visiting hours anyway so the sooner they got them out the better.

"Alright guys, I think it's time that we get home and get some shut eye." Before either kid could protest she kept going. "I promise we'll be back tomorrow to see Daddy and Danno. Maybe we can even get a little surprise for them huh, doesn't that sound like fun?" Grace and Nathan immediately agreed both too tired to really argue.

"Alright give Daddy and Danno hugs and kisses." Grace hugged and kissed Steve first before shuffling over to Danno wrapping her arms tightly around Danny's waist.

"Take care of Daddy Danno, he needs you." Danny nodded and kissed Grace's forehead wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"I will Monkey, don't you worry. Help Nonna take care of Nate okay?" Grace just gave him a look that told him she already knew that and Danny just chuckled. "Good night Monkey, Danno loves you."

"I love you too Danno." Grace replied before finally going over towards Deb and leaning against her, exhausted from the excitement of the day. Danny looked over at the bed where Nathan was tucking Steve in and kissing him goodnight and Danny smiled at how amazing his kids were to take care of Danny and Steve. Nathan turned and stood on the bed looking at Danno with his arms open wide. Danny didn't think twice before making his way over to the bed letting Nathan wrap his arms around his neck.

"Night night Danno, I tucked Daddy in and kissed him goodnight."

"Good night buddy, Danno loves you. And thank you for tucking Daddy in for me."

"Love you too Danno." Nathan kissed Danny goodnight before Denny stepped up and helped Nathan off the bed holding his hand. They bid them goodnight and watched them leave the silence in the room comforting.

"I'm sorry Danny. I'm sorry that I put both you and them through that." Danny sat down next to the bed and grabbed Steve's hand.

"You thought you were helping a friend, someone you trusted. You didn't know that Jenna was going to turn on you, if you had you wouldn't have done it. You got played babe and honestly I'm not surprised you didn't see it coming. Yeah her phone call was the beginning of my worst nightmare, but we got you back in one piece and that's all I care about.

"Thank you for risking everything to come get you." Danny sighed at the absolute defeated and sad tone of Steve's voice. He got up from his chair and maneuvered around Steve so Steve was cuddling with Danny on the small hospital bed.

"I'm always coming to get you babe just like you'd always come get me. I signed up for life babe and I'm going to make sure I get my money's worth." He paused as Steve chuckled and kissed him gently. "Plus you wanna know a secret?" Danny whispered resting his forehead against Steve's, his fingers laced with Steve's. He waited a few moments so he knew he had Steve's attention. "There is no Danno without his Super SEAL babe; I love you too much to not come get you."

"I love you too Danno, I love you so fucking much." Steve whispered kissing Danny hotly for a few moments until they were both breathless. Danny smiled moving so Steve could rest his head on Danny's shoulder.

"Go to sleep babe, you need to rest."

"Don't leave me." Steve whispered finally dropping the last of his walls and snuggling into Danny's warmth even more.

"Never." Danny whispered as Steve drifted off into a peaceful sleep because he knew that Danny was never going to leave him.

_**Endnote: Whew, that has to be the longest chapter of this story so far and boy was it was momma to write. I hope you guys enjoyed the ending to the episode, just the way I wanted it to end. Like I said next update might not be until sometime next week, so let me know what you guys thought and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: see chapter one**

_**Author's Note: First things first, I owe a huge, huge thank you to **__**simplyn2deep for catching my many errors in the previous chapter. I appreciate it, I really do.**__** I'm also so unbelievably sorry for the delay with this chapter. I have no excuses except that moving and starting school completely take over your life and honestly this chapter was not easy to write in the least. I hope that you guys don't completely hate me for taking so long, but I did make it a long one in a way of making up for my lack of updating lately. Like always mistakes are mine and I apologize in advance.**_

_**Sorry for the alerts earlier with no real chapter but hopefully this one works.**_

"So you've been back from Korea for almost three weeks now, how's the transition been?" Steve turned from glances out the window to look Peter in the eye. Steve had started seeing Peter back during the custody battle because it seemed to make Gracie excited to see her counselor Victoria. During that period of time he made sure to see Peter every week so he could properly vent his frustrations and anger about Rachel and it had helped. It had helped Steve clear his head and gain a better perspective about the whole situation.

So it only made sense that after the hell he went through in Korea, he and Danny had both agreed that it was time to go back to the respective therapists and work through the issues. Peter had long since gotten used to Steve's silence during their sessions and just learned on how to bring him out of his shell. "Any nightmares, frequent or otherwise?"

"They didn't start until the first night I spent alone in the hospital. If I'm with Danny then I know I'm safe and it doesn't bother me."

"Tell me what happens when you're alone?"

"I think I'm back in that room hanging there. Sometimes I'm alone, sometimes I see Jenna and others Wo Fat is there terrorizing me. He says things like he's going to kill Danny because of our relationship and then take Grace and Nathan and make them suffer to while I watch, just like when my father died. I started screaming at him that he'll never get Danny, and at that point Danny is usually there to wake me up or I wake myself up."

"When you have a nightmare does it bother you afterwards?"

"Sometimes yeah, does that mean something?" Peter was quiet for a moment as he thought about his answer.

"Yes and no. I think it means that you are worried that something is going to happen to Danny and the kids and you try not to dwell on those thoughts too much because they put you in a weird place, but nightmares that strong would probably affect you for some time after. Plus with your history it would be understandable that you'd feel this intense urge to protect your family. Have you talked to Danny about this?"

"The nightmares? He knows I have them obviously, but not about the fear I have that Wo Fat is going to come after him."

"I suggest that you stop keeping this from Danny. He's got enough going on what with Lori always hitting on you in front of him despite your attempts at telling her that you were happily married to Danny. From what you're telling me about what's been going on, it's only a matter of time before Danny finally hits that breaking point and you keep things form him would probably make it worse. So my suggestion for you is to just talk to Danny and just tell him what you fear, that's it. You don't need to bare your soul to the man anymore than you have, just make him aware of it so that if you reach a breaking point or something does happen then he won't be blindsided, the key to a healthy relationship Steve is honesty." Steve nodded and glanced back out the window letting Peter's suggestion sink in. He knew that Danny was going to break and he had been trying to make sure that moment didn't happen, but Lori just didn't seem to get it. He had tried numerous times to let Lori down gently, to tell her that he wasn't interested nor would he ever be interested because he had already found the love of his wife.

The first attempt had been after Steve was realized from the hospital and the team had gotten together to welcome him home. She had found him in the kitchen and remarked about happy she was to see him back with the team and on his way to recovery. Steve had thanked her for her concern and started to ask her about the hug but they were interrupted by Chin who had gotten concerned that Steve had wandered off. Steve laughed off the joke before turning back to Lori only to find her leaving the room and heading back towards the small get together at Danny and Steve's house. He hoped that she saw the pictures of the family hanging around the house.

Before Steve could take another opportunity to talk to Lori, the team was slammed with case after case so since Steve was still recovering from the intense beating he took in Korea he wasn't able to really talk to Lori or even see if she hadn't gotten the hint that he and Danny were much more than work partners. He hoped for both his sake and Danny's sake that she had gotten the nonverbal message loud and clear.

It was plain to see that Steve's hopes weren't coming true when he finally returned to work a full month after they had returned from North Korea. Lori had seen the photos and remarked about how cute they looked a family and toned down her flirting a smidge. She continued to be in Steve's personal space which only served to aggravate Danny even more. If she had a legitimate reason for being in Steve's space Danny wouldn't be so angry about it, but she had no reason to be in Steve's office as much as she was, so Danny's agitation kept getting worse. Steve had even told her that she could easily go to Chin or Kono, or even Danny with her questions because it wasn't a good idea to just see how Steve did things. They were a team that each brought valuable skills to the team and when Lori came to Steve with a technology question he wanted to yell at her.

She was making an already stressful time for Steve even worse. He was trying to get caught up with everything he missed during his medical leave and having Lori playing 'mother hen' was grating his last nerve. He only prayed that they got a case because the longer he was stuck in this office any longer he was going to blow. It was also almost Valentine's Day and Steve was busy trying to plan a romantic getaway for him and Danny because they hadn't even been able to really celebrate it, so Steve knew that this year he had to pull out all the stops. So to say that Steve was stressed out was a gross understatement.

Danny saw Lori talking with Kono and eyeing Steve's office and saw Steve stabbing the keys of his laptop a lot harder than was absolutely necessary and was up and out of his chair before he even knew what he was planning on doing. "Back away from the keyboard McGarrett before Chin kills both of us when you break your laptop _again."_ Danny stressed forcibly pulling Steve's hand away from the keyboard. He paused in his pulling motions when he caught sight of what Steve had been doing. "Why are you searching for bed and breakfasts?" Steve pushed his chair back from Danny's grip as if he had been burned.

"For informational purposes?" Steve tried to reply but failed when it came out as more of a question than a statement. Danny turned so he was sitting on the edge of the desk, Steve immediately shifted so that Danny's legs were nestled between his with Steve's hand's resting on Danny's thighs. Danny waited just staring at Steve until he sighed and hung his head a little bit. "It's almost Valentine's day." He mumbled hoping Danny would leave it at that.

"I know that Steven, I was the one that took our kids to pick out their valentines to give them classmates so I am fully aware that it is almost Valentine's Day. What I don't understand is why you thought you had to take me to a bed and breakfast for said day."

"I wanted to do something romantic for you, since we were so wrapped up with cases and the custody thing last year that we didn't celebrate." Danny smiled and lightly squeezed Steve's hand.

"Come on babe, I'm hungry and I think the fresh air will do us some good." Steve stood up without a word and followed Danny out of the office. It took a matter of minutes after they had left the office for Chin to text him to keep Steve out of the office for the rest of the day because he was not fixing his laptop again. Danny laughed as he pulled Steve into the house and they capitalized on their empty house. Danny wanted to make sure that Steve barely remembered his own name let alone that they had jobs waiting for them.

Said jobs that sometimes required them to put on their tuxedos and wow the governor's friends. Although Danny was not complaining about spending his night with Steve because Steve in a tuxedo is a sight that Danny is always going to be happy to see. Plus it was an auction for charity so Danny really couldn't say no.

"Babe please relax." Danny whined resting his hand on Steve's lower back. Steve had been on edge for days and Danny was starting to get worried.

"I'm fine Danno. You know I just hate these things."

"Yes, but look we can bid on season tickets for the Hawaii Hurricanes. Granted they're not the New York Jets but its still football." Steve nodded leaning back into Danny's hand for the comfort. This was the last place that Steve wanted to be, but when the Governor asked he couldn't say no. And now he had the perfect idea on what to get Danny for Valentine's Day. Covertly as possible he tried to make a bid towards the tickets but Danny was quick to catch his movements. "What are you doing, huh? Why are you even near that sheet of paper?"

"Because I was going to bid on it Danno." Steve shot back slipping easily into their bantering feeling the last of his stress leave his body.

"No see I was going to bid on it for you, so you cannot therefore bid on it for me." Danny replied crossing out Steve's bid and writing one of his own. Steve smirked and waited until Danny was distracted about Kono asking about the kids to cross out his bid and write another one.

They kept going back and forth until the Governor came over needing to speak with Steve and Lori. Danny tried to hide the shocked hurt from his face but Steve saw it and tried to make him feel better with a look, but Danny only scowled in his direction and turned away from them.

"Why does she look so smug?" Malia innocently asked looking from Chin to Kono and finally to Danny who was staring off in the distance with a dark look on his face.

"She's been trying to get Steve away from Danny since the moment she got here, so she probably thinks the Governor is finally noticing that she's a better fit for Steve than Danny." Kono replied still looking at the door that Steve had followed the Governor through.

"Doesn't she know they're married?" Charlie, Kono's date/unconfirmed boyfriend replied watching Kono clench and unclench her fist.

"I think she's too caught up in her feelings for Steve to notice, I mean she saw the photos of Steve and Danny at their house from the ceremony and commented on their family photos when Steve came back from his training, but she still keeps trying to get him." Chin supplied finally tuning into the conversation and saw keeping a careful eye on Danny, who was still silently fuming.

"I bet you we have a case." Kono murmured when Steve came back into the room with Lori right next to him a smug set to her mouth. Steve didn't look happy in the least as he came back to join the group.

"Let's go, we've got work to do." Steve growled looking at Danny with a softer look than the team. The two in command had a silent conversation before Danny was nodding and following Steve out of the ballroom leaving the other members to follow behind them. Danny stayed quiet through the rundown of the situation and waited until they were in the elevator until he finally spoke.

"What the hell was that?" Danny asked referring back to why Lori had gone with Steve and not Danny. Steve sighed and pressed against Danny's side resting his forehead against Danny's temple.

"The governor thought that Lori would understand the gravity of dealing with this quietly since she has the experience with sensitive matters, but you're my partner and I'm not letting her think she has gained any authority because of the governor. So you and I will be attached at the hip until we solve this and I promise Danno I'll talk to her after the case." Danny sighed and turned wrapping his arms around Steve's waist as they rode up to their floor. Danny pulled away as the elevator signaled they had reached their floor.

"Let's get this case over with." Danny murmured following Steve down the hallway hoping that things didn't get to crazy.

Of course that hope went out the window when Steve jumped off the roof to save their suspect. "You stupid son of a bitch! Steve!" Danny screamed rushing to the edge to see Steve laying on the balcony a floor down from him. "I hope you hurt something you animal! Stay in the hallway and don't even think about doing anything until I get down there." Steve nodded and winced as he stood up already feeling the bruises spreading on his ribs from the fall and hoped that Danny went easy on him.

"Do you not hear me when I tell you to be careful? Do you not understand that I actually care if you come home to me or not? I swear you're trying to see just how much I can take before I have another panic attack or heart attack, I'm not sure which one you're shooting for."

"I had to try to keep him alive, he need him Danno. And I'm sorry." Steve whispered as they hauled their suspect into the elevator. Danny only looked at Steve concern flooding his blue eyes. He could see the way Steve was trying to push though the pain. He shook his head and muttered about taking care of it when they got back to HQ.

As if the nature of their case and Steve jumping from buildings to follow suicidal suspects wasn't bad enough, of course they had to find a tie to the Russians thus running the risk of causing an international incident along the way. And Danny was convinced that Steve was trying very hard not to pull a SEAL trick out of his arsenal to solve this case, he could see the itch to Steve's fingers. But after the whole 'Korea treason thing' they all have to be on their best behavior just until they can get back in the Governor's graces then it's game on. So it's the most logical decision that Steve not be the one to question Dennis, who was in a fragile state of mind as it is, so Danny took over after putting Steve in his office with an ice pack snug against his ribs.

After talking with Dennis for ten minutes Danny wanted to throw himself off of a roof, the guy was just too depressing and self centered to have any idea of what was going on. Danny sighed numerous times as he tried to find out how Dennis knew their victim. Finally Danny gave up thanking the guy for his time and going to check on Steve, only to find Steve nowhere to be found. Danny wanted to pull his hair out because who knew what trouble Steve was getting into.

Danny turned grabbing his phone from his pocket as he made his way out of HQ when he caught sight of a pissed off Steve barreling at him. Danny quickly moved and watched Steve fly into his office slamming the glass door behind him before he began pacing through his office. "What the hell is his problem?"

"The Russian guy who killed Nicki Chase raped her sister and Nicki went to comfront him and we think he killed her."

"I hate it when sick bastards have diplomatic immunity." Danny replied watching Steve come out of his office and look at Danny that immediately made him drop his head. He knew exactly what his partner was planning and he didn't like it one bit.

"Let the record show that I'm not okay with this." Danny gripped for the millionth time as he watched for the black town car to pass him.

"We know Danny; you've said it a million times. And think of it like this, you're not that one about to cause an international incident by driving into the gates." Chin shot right back adjusting his grip on the steering wheel before he hit the gas and hoped he didn't end up in jail.

Danny sighed and watched as Steve hit the car and fell towards the pavement, even from his place twenty feet away he would hear the sickening thump Steve's head against the pavement.

"Steve!" Danny and Kono screamed rushing from their positions to see just how badly hurt Steve was. Danny stopped when he saw Steve lying still and bent over struggling to breathe. Getting a slight grip on his fragile emotional state, Danny pushed Lori out of the way and knelt down by Steve's head bad knee be damned. "Steve, babe come on open your eyes for me. I need to see your eyes McGarrett." Danny pleaded squeezing Steve's hand trying to get some sort of reaction. He could feel the tears pooling in his eyes as the time dragged on and Steve didn't move. "You son of a bitch, are you trying to kill me? Come on you stupid army Neanderthal open your eyes." Danny leaned down to rest his forehead against Steve's. He prayed for Steve to open his eyes and hoped that he wouldn't have to go home and tell his kids that their daddy wasn't coming home. As Danny went through hell Steve finally groaned and opened his eyes his hand immediately clutching Danny's hand hard.

"Navy, it's Navy Danno. You know that." Danny chuckled opening his watery eyes to see Steve's clouded with pain.

"It got you to open your eyes didn't it? Can you tell me what hurts?" Danny asked completely forgetting that they were at a crime scene. Danny only cared about making sure that Steve was okay, well as okay as he could be for having just been hit by a car and the whole roof jumping thing.

"My head and I think I fucked up my ribs again, might've even broken them this time." Steve rasped as the ambulance pulled up. Danny only moved enough for the paramedics to check Steve and decide that he definitely needed to go the hospital. Danny stood up and winced as he put pressure on his knee, it definitely hated him.

"Does one of you want to ride with him?" Lori stepped up seeing that Danny was too distracted with his knee to hear the paramedic.

"I'll ride with him." Danny pushed past the pain in his knee and moved quickly beating Lori to the ambulance.

"No you're not. Get a clue profiler; you have no shot with Steve. You wanna know why? Because that man put a ring on it two years ago, so kindly back the fuck off of my husband." Danny sneered finally tired of dealing with this the whole situation. He turned to Kono who flew to his side in a flash helping Danny get in the ambulance. She was shocked that Danny had been so blunt with Lori like that in front of everyone, but she knew it had to be done. Lori needed to get the message that her flirting wasn't doing her any good.

"I'll meet you there okay?" Danny nodded as the doors were slammed shut and the ambulance raced over to the hospital.

Steve came to and looked around the room. He tried moving his head but his vision started swimming and his head felt as if he had had too many beers the night before. He groaned as he finally sat up feeling his ribs protesting, he spotted Danny sitting in the chair across from the bed rubbing his knee.

"What happened to your knee?" Danny smiled and shook his head.

"Of course after being hit by a car you're more worried about my knee. It just hates me for kneeling for so long because my bonehead husband wouldn't open his eyes after being hit by a fucking car."

"How bad is it?"

"My knee or you?"

"Both?" Steve asked feeling a little confused.

"Well you have a mild concussion and deep bruising on your ribs with a fracture on two. The doctor was amazed at the shit you put your body through in the past two days. As for my knee, the doctor went ahead and checked me out too and it's just sore that's all. I just need to ice it and be careful for a couple of days do my strength exercises. Ya know the usual." Steve nodded watching Danny gingerly get up and make his way over to Steve. "I have half a mind to put your ass on the couch for the shit you pulled today. Did you not understand me the other night when I said stop trying to give me a panic or heart attack? Or do you have a short memory?"

"I can honestly say that I didn't mean to get hit that hard by the car, Danno. I swear I didn't set out to end up in the hospital." Danny nodded resting his forehead against Steve's.

"Can we just agree that you've scared me enough and that you'll try to be safe for awhile?"

"Yeah Danno, I can do that. You need to take it easy too; I don't want you fucking your knee up again. You know the next time you do its surgery." Steve seriously replied cataloging every detail about Danny to see just how much pain he was in. He was more than aware of just how much Danny downplayed his knee pain and he knew that severity of not knowing just how much his knee actually hurt.

"Thanks mom." Steve smiled broadly as Danny shook his head and sat back down. Danny wasn't going to tell Steve about his little outburst at Lori. While he knew she needed to hear what he had to say, she didn't deserve to be told like that. He knew he should apologize for telling her the way he did because it wasn't her fault that his husband was determined to become a frequent visitor to the hospital.

Danny perked up when Kono texted him that the plan worked and that the Russian douche bag was going to jail. Suddenly it all seemed to be worth it and Danny couldn't wait to spend Valentine's Day with his husband. He just hoped that his outburst didn't blow up in his face.

Steve walked into the office checking his watch, he had exactly thirty minutes to find Danny's gift and get back home before Danny realized he was gone. Even though it was a few days after the actual day of Valentine's Day Steve was still determined to spend the day with Danny just the two of them, but he needed Danny's gift first.

"Hey Steve can I talk to you?" Steve turned halfway to his desk to see Lori standing in front of him.

"Uh sure, what's up?" Steve asked leaning back against his desk crossing his arms.

"Um here. Open this one first." Lori handed him two envelopes and Steve looked confused for a moment before opening the first envelope and scanning the letter.

"You're resigning? Why?"

"When I first started working here, the governor told me that I work for the state of Hawaii and that I had to make sure that you guys were doing things the right way. I guess somewhere along the way I let my feelings for you completely cloud my mind and I wasn't thinking rationally. I can't believe I didn't put the pieces together that you and Danny were married and I'm so sorry that I put you in that awkward position. So cut to this case and the governor asked me to choose between Five-0 and Hawaii and I made the wrong choice."

"I'll talk to the Governor, there has to be a way. You did prove to be useful."

"I need to go home. I miss my family and I miss the states. I'm not cut out to be a part of Five-0. Please tell Danny I'm so sorry for flirting with you so much, it was never my intentions to try and break up a very happy marriage. The second envelope is my way of apologize to both of you. Be safe Steve." Lori gave in and wrapped her arms around Steve for a brief moment before she disappeared from the office leaving Steve sitting here looking at the second envelope. He waited until he knew she was gone before ripping open the envelope and laughing when the season tickets fell out. He knew that Danny was going to love it.

"So what brings you here today Danny?" Danny sighed and rubbed his knee as a twinge of pain shot up through his leg.

"Ever since Steve went off to play Knight in Shining Armor for Jenna, I've been feeling anxious almost every time he goes into the field. Every time I see that look on his face, that look that says shit is about to hit the fan hard my heart starts racing and I feel like I can't breathe."

"Why do you think that happens?"

"Because I don't know if he's going to come home. I almost lost him in Korea because he can't say no to helping out people that he cares about and I'm scared that I'm actually going to lose him."

"Steve is highly trained right? As a SEAL they are trained for anything and everything that could possibly happen. And you know this, so why does it scare you so much?"

"I can't lose him. You don't understand just how much that man means to me."

"Tell me then." Don prompted sitting back giving Danny the silent signal that he wasn't going to interrupt him.

"Steve makes it okay for me to be me. For the first time in my life I feel comfortable in my own skin and I know that he protects me from a lot of shit that people say. I know that people shut up real fast when they see us together because they know that he'll make them regret fucking with me or our kids. So if something happens to Steve I'm afraid that I won't feel this comfortable and safe. When I was married to Rachel I was the one constantly making sure she and Gracie and the rest of my family was okay. But with Steve he's there to help, he makes me feel safe. He makes me feel like if shit goes down he'll be right there with me and he'll make sure he both get out okay. And I guess I just don't feel like I do that same for him. I'm not as trained as he is, so when he gets that look on his face I'm not always sure that I can completely protect him."

"What are you really saying Danny?"

"I don't feel like I'm good enough for Steve." Danny whispered his shoulders finally sagging as if a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulder. It felt nice to finally give a voice to that thought that had been nagging him since the moment he and Steve started their relationship. Now that he finally admitted the truth, he was scared of how he was ever going to feel differently. But he needed to get this anxiety thing under control before it completely tore his life apart.

_**Endnote: So I'm going to just say this now, this ending just literally came out of nowhere. I had no idea I was going to end it like that, but I still hope you guys enjoyed it. Plus this way we get some added drama between McDanno in future chapters. Let me know what you guys thought and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: see chapter one**

_**Author's Note: I am so sorry for the delay in this chapter, school is taking over my life but that's what being on the quarter system will do for you. I also had to find my muse for this chapter because it gets a little emotional which was insanely hard to tap into. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and I promise to try and update sooner, I apologize in advance for any and all mistakes.**_

Steve isn't an idiot. He knows that there is something bothering Danny, he saw the moment Danny's demeanor changed. Anyone who knew anything about Danny couldn't tell that something was bothering Danny. The more Steve watched Danny try to pretend that everything was alright he was reminded of the horrible time before they got together. Just thinking about that time in general makes Steve determined to find out what is plaguing his partner.

Danny knows that he needs to talk to Steve about his feelings. It's been about two weeks since he dropped the bombshell to Don about his feelings of inferiority. For the first week he thought about not telling Steve, he thought he could work through it with Don and by himself, but that wasn't the case. This week he's started thinking about it more, he can't stop thinking about it. He's distracted at times when he's supposed to be doing paperwork; he lets his fear and anxiety about losing Steve take over for a few moments when they're in the middle of dangerous situations. And after another panic attack during his session with Don, Danny knew he had to talk to Steve.

So Danny waited until they finally caught a break in their hectic work schedule and sent the kids to his parents' house for the night and prepared himself for the emotional roller coaster ride he was about to embark on. He took off early from work to pick up the ingredients needed for Steve's favorite meal. He wanted to make this conversation as painless as possible.

Steve knew something was wrong the moment Danny slipped away from the office. He liked to think that he had a Danno Radar, which allowed to always know when Danny was or wasn't close by. It came in handy in those dangerous situations and he needed to know exactly where his partner was to make sure he would walk away alive. And now that they've been together it comes in handy when things aren't going so well so well at home and Steve was able to find out exactly where Danny was hiding out. And this time was no different, Steve desperately wanted to get up and follow Danny, find out what's going on but he stayed seated. Danny would let him know when it was okay to seek him out, but now was not the time so Steve settled in and tried to wait patiently wondering what on earth was bothering his partner.

Danny took a large majority of his afternoon off sitting in his beach chair and watching the waves. Since getting with Steve, he had found that watching the waves had a calming effect on him. He could lose himself in the crashing of the waves and let his mind truly wander. Many nights, long after the Grace had gone to bed Danny would sit with his feet buried in the sand thinking about anything and everything that would come to his mind. Usually he was able to work through whatever had been troubling him, but this time nothing seemed to work.

Danny couldn't stop thinking that he wasn't good enough for Steve, couldn't stop worrying that one day Steve was going to realize that he had bitten off too much and take off going back to the SEALs. The thoughts and anxiety had gotten especially worse after Steve had taken off for North Korea to help Jenna. Jenna, someone that both Steve and Danny cared deeply about, had turned against them and put Steve's life in mortal danger. If she could do that to both of them without a second thought, who's to say that someone else won't? Losing Steve was not something that Danny could ever prepare for. Yes, there once was a time when Danny had thought that about Rachel, but Danny didn't love Rachel like he loves Steve. His love for Steve was the all encompassing type of love that took over his whole being. Steve truly was Danny's better half, his soul mate, the man he was put on earth to be with. So even thinking about losing Steve sent Danny into a blind panic.

He knew that he had to talk to Steve, tell him about the anxiety that had slowly crept up and taken over his life. But actually putting the words together to tell him was the hard part. He didn't want to hurt Steve with the crazy thoughts running through his head. He knew that Steve was going to be upset when he told him that he thought about Steve leaving. So he had been putting it off, holding off until it had become too much for him to bear. He hadn't been planning on having a panic attack during a bust, which then served as the catalyst to Danny biting the bullet and having the dreaded conversation with Steve.

The alarm on his phone jarred Danny from his thoughts and forced him up and out of the chair. If they were going to have the awful conversation then Danny was going to make them as comfortable as possible. So pushing all the thoughts from his head Danny focused on making the best dinner ever.

Steve walked into the house and smiled when the delicious smells hit his nose. He didn't know what warranted Danny making his favorites for dinner, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Dropping his badge and gun next to Danny's, Steve made his way towards the kitchen where the soft sounds of Frank Sinatra hit his ears. He paused in the doorway to watch Danny move effortlessly around the kitchen his hips swaying to the beat. Steve stood there for a few moments watching Danny dance around the kitchen, before he pushed off of the door jam and quickly made his way over to Danny wrapping his arms around Danny's waist, swaying right along with him. Danny froze for a moment before he melted into Steve's arms.

"Smells good Danno." Steve whispered kissing right below Danny's ear. "What's the special occasion?" Danny's body stilled and he pulled himself out of Steve's arms. "Danny, what's wrong?" Danny took a deep breath and looked Steve right in the eye.

"I promise that we'll talk about it later, but can we please just enjoy a nice dinner alone?" Steve stared at Danny for a few moments, taking in his stiff shoulders and almost frightened look in his eye and nodded.

"Yeah Danno whatever you want. We're long overdue for some alone time." Steve smiled softly at Danny. "Can I help with anything?"

"It's pretty much done so could you set the table?" Steve nodded again before going over the cabinet that held the dishes and setting the table.

Dinner passed quietly with the only conversation being brought up was the kids and things that were coming up. Steve waited almost anxiously through small talk at dinner and even dessert wondering what they could possibly have to talk. Their more serious talks have never been good ones to have, besides the decision to adopt Nathan. Steve just wished that he had any idea of what situation he was walking into, even though he wasn't an active SEAL anymore the need to be fully prepared for any situation was a hard need to give up. Danny put his fork down and took a long pull from his bottle.

"Danny." Steve started not even knowing that he was going to speak. He had no idea what he even wanted to say, but the need to take the hurt and scared look out of Danny's eye was too much to ignore. "Talk to me. Whatever's bothering you, just tell me. We'll figure it out together." Danny smiled softly and reached across the table giving Steve's hand a squeeze.

"I know babe, I know. I just don't know how to tell you so that you don't misunderstand."

"Just talk Danno, I promise if I have questions or don't understand I'll ask." Danny sighed and took another deep breath and pull from the bottle.

"You know that I had a panic attack while you were in Korea right?" Steve nodded leaning forward in his chair and grabbing Danny's hand with both of his, he had to be touching Danny giving him that silent comfort only Steve could ever give him. "Well I thought it was a one and done kinda thing, but it's not. I've got anxiety now about you and getting hurt. It'll creep up on me during cases when I least expect it. It's hard enough trying to keep you safe when I'm fully there but now I have to remind myself to breathe and do my job. I'm scared I'm going to lose you. I'm scared that I can't protect you and Steve I can't lose you. You're the best damn thing that's happened to me." The besides Grace and Nathan implied but not spoken as Danny squeezed Steve's hand and took a deep breath. "And if I were to lose you I don't know what I would do. You make me feel comfortable in my own skin more than Rachel ever could. You except me loud mouth and all without even trying to change me. I love you so much it hurts sometimes." Danny stopped before he said the not good enough nonsense floating through his head.

"That's not it Danny. I can tell there's more going through your head right now. Whatever it is I promise we'll work it out together. We're partners and I'm always going to have your back and help you whenever I can." Danny looked down at their joined hands and opened his mouth.

"I don't think I'm good enough for you. I can't help but think that one day you'll realize that I'm who you want and leave me, which would kill me more than my divorce with Rachel." Danny whispered eyes locked firmly on his lap. The silence was deafening as Steve pushed away from his chair and walked over to Danny where he sank to his knees and lifted Danny's chin.

"I feel the same way Danny. I feel like I'm not good enough for you. I'm constantly putting our lives in danger just to catch the bad guy without much regard for either one of us getting hurt. I have both mommy and daddy issues, I'm emotionally stunted, and social impaired. I'll also have some psycho coming after me because he thinks I know something I don't. You deserve better than me Danno and I'm extremely lucky that you've stuck with me so far. I'm not going anywhere because you and our kids are my whole world. If I didn't want to be here I wouldn't have returned from the Navy, but I walked away from that life because I had everything I needed and more with you. You're perfect for me Danno. You're my better half and I'd be stupid to ever think that there was something better out there. As for your anxiety, we've all been there. I'm still dealing with it from when my parents died. There are still some nights I wake up feeling like someone's choking me. It hits me sometimes when you're in the field and I'm not right there. Just remember that I will always makes sure you're safe as best I can. I'd jump in front of a bullet, grenade, moving car to protect you. I promised to always have your back and I never break promises." He took a deep breath reaching up to cup Danny's face in his hands. "I love you with every fiber of my being. I promised you forever babe and I'm gonna do whatever it takes to keep that promise, you hear me? This," he motioned between them, "is forever babe." Danny smiled and chuckled leaning down to press his forehead against Steve's. "Feel better?"

"Yes, thank you."

"I know that telling me doesn't magically solve everything, but I'm here for you Danny. Whenever you need to talk I'm here. I don't care if it's the middle of the night wake me up. Don't ever think that you have to keep these things yourself. I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

"The same thing goes for you Super SEAL."

"Deal. I love you."

"I love you too babe." Steve reached up pressing his lips hotly to Danny's. It was nice to be able to be so affectionate without having to worry about a kid walking in at any moment. "You know we have the house to ourselves, so I think you should show me just how much you love me. I seem to have forgotten."

Steve smiled and stood up extending his hand to Danny and pulling him up. "That's unacceptable Danno. I'll just have to reacquaint your body with mine and show you how perfect we are together." Danny pulled Steve down pressing his whole body against Steve's as his lips met Steve's in a wet, hot kiss that had Steve groaning into Danny's mouth. "Keep that up detective and we won't even make it in the house and upstairs." Danny pulled away from Steve and walked into the house.

"Who says we have to make it upstairs?" Danny threw over his shoulder sending Steve a suggestive wink over his shoulder that had Steve taking off to catch Danny.

Yeah things weren't perfect; they both had some issues to deal with but right now in this moment things were as perfect as they could be and both Steve and Danny were more than okay with that. As long as they were together they could get through anything.

_**A/N Endnote: so what do you think? Did you like it? I hope it was worth the wait and yet again I apologize profusely for that. Rachel's making another appearance in the next chapter and bringing some drama and surprising news so stayed tuned! Let me know what you guys thought and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: see chapter one.**

_**Author's Note: I'm back and I am so sorry for the delay in this chapter. School completely took over my life leaving me no time to even sleep or breathe, but I'm on break now for seven weeks so I'll be able to update more. Thank you to everyone that reviewed and read the previous chapter and I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter, as always I apologize in advance for any and all grammatical mistakes.**_

Since the night that Danny finally spilled his soul to Steve things had quieted down considerably. There were no extremely taxing cases that had Steve doing crazy things that tried Danny's last nerve, Wo Fat wasn't breathing down their necks making them always look over their shoulders (although Steve was still keeping track of Wo Fat's activities), and there was no drama weighing down the team. But if life had taught Danny anything it was that this was the quiet before the storm and he wasn't going to be lulled into a false sense of security.

It was a slow day in the office and Danny was going out of his mind with paperwork and the quiet of the office, he hated it. He almost wished that he had taken Steve up on his offer to watch Kono get acquainted with her new sniper rifle because the silence was almost killing Danny. He didn't even have Chin to help with paperwork since he was out with Malia had her doctor's appointment. He glanced down at the paperwork on his desk and sighed, he really didn't want to spend the rest of the day working on the mountain and he was half tempted to call Steve and see if his offer still stood.

He was on his way back into his office with a fresh cup of coffee when his phone rang and Danny quickly closed his eyes hoping that it was Steve calling to save him from his quiet hell. Pulling his phone from his pocket he was surprised to see Rachel's name flashing across the screen. His mind immediately flashed to Grace, who was at school and he quickly slid his thumb across the screen. "Is Grace okay?" Danny quickly asked already in his office and looking for his keys. Rachel's quiet fond chuckle had Danny stopping with his hand mid air.

"Grace is fine Danny; I was calling to see if we could possibly meet somewhere to talk." Danny leaned against his desk and thought about it, he and Rachel hadn't really sat down to talk about much of anything since the custody hearing months prior and he was a little apprehensive about what Rachel could possibly have to say. "It's quite important Danny and it does have to do with Grace."

"Alright sure we can meet. Where and when?" He asked as he resumed the hunt for his keys.

"I'm in the neighborhood right now so how about that coffee shop down the block from you, in say fifteen minutes?"

"I'll be there." Danny replied before hanging up, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about sitting down with Rachel. The last time they had actually spoken hadn't gone so well and he wasn't completely sure about Rachel's intentions. But Danny was still going to hear her out, after he had a chance to speak his mind because Rachel had gotten to speak her mind about his life choices and he had just sat there letting her spew her hatred and now it was Danny's turn.

Danny spotted Rachel at a corner table and took a deep breath. He looked over at the barista and nodded in greeting. They had come here enough times in the morning that every barista knew every one of the team's order's by heart so Danny didn't have to waste time going to the counter, he wanted to get down the bottom of what Rachel wanted as quickly as possible.

Rachel smiled softly as Danny pulled out the chair across from her and sat down. "Thank you for meeting me Danny." Danny held up his hand smiling at the barista as she placed his coffee down in front of him.

He took a sip to give him a moment to collect his thoughts. "Before you start, I need to get some things off my chest, okay?" Rachel nodded and gripped her cup ready for whatever Danny had to throw at her because she rightly deserved it. "I care about you Rachel and I always will because you are the mother of our daughter, which is the greatest thing that you and I both had a hand in. I want us to one day be able to have some sort of friendship, but that can't happen until you accept the fact that Steve and I are together. I moved away from my family so that you could be happy and I could see my daughter, which you then used against me by trying to keep me away from Grace. I gave up my life so that I could see Grace once a week and every other weekend. I let you have everything in the divorce and yeah I may have complained but I let you take whatever you wanted. You made my life miserable and made me feel as if I wasn't good enough for Gracie. And then when I finally gave you what you wanted and moved on, so that you could fix your relationship with Stan, you got pissed at me and tried to take Grace away from me again. You said that most vile things that honestly hurt me, your words that day in the office hurt me to the core and made me feel even worse than I already did. And yes I'll admit that it was a huge surprise when I realized that I was in love with Steve, who was very much a straight male. But he makes me happy Rachel, he makes me feel as if I am good enough and honestly? He makes me a better person because he loves Gracie, Nathan, and me so unconditionally that I count my blessings each and every day that he's stayed after all the bullshit I've put him through. I'm finally happy after our marriage ended and I want the same happiness for you, we both deserve as much. Especially since you and I are going to be tied to each other for the rest of our lives, so the sooner you accept my marriage with Steven the sooner the healing process can begin. I'm tired of fighting with you all the time Rachel." Danny took a much needed cup of coffee and waited for Rachel to absorb everything he had been saying. He felt immensely better having finally been able to say his peace and he truly was tired of fighting with Rachel.

Rachel sat back in her seat shocked at how hurt Danny sounded and yet she was touched. She thought for sure that Danny would still have some anger towards her about her inexcusable actions that led to the custody hearing, yet Danny seemed sad that they couldn't find a way to be somewhat friends.

"You're right Danny. I was completely out of line with my actions towards you and Steve. I guess Steve was right, I was jealous in the beginning of your relationship, you were happy with someone that wasn't me and my marriage was on the rocks so I lashed out. I see how just how much Steve loves you and how much you two love and care for both Grace and Nathan. I'm sorry that I put you through that whole mess; I wasn't in my right frame of mind after Charles was born. I seemed to have a major case of post partum depression and it caused me to lash out at the wrong people. I am not excusing my actions but letting you know the reasoning behind it. I still love and care about you Danny and I'm so happy to see you finally have the happiness I could never give you and I hope that you and I one day can have some sort of friendship." Now it was Danny's turn to be shocked, he had never even thought that Rachel was going through a tough time after Charles, but it makes sense now. He's not anywhere near forgiving her but now he can start the healing process. A silence fell behind them as Rachel thought about the best way to broach the real reason she had asked to meet.

"Now that I've gotten all that off my chest, why did you ask me to meet today?" Rachel took a long sip of her tea and nodded.

"Yes, I have some things to talk about with you that have to do with Grace. Stan has been offered an opportunity to open a new hotel in Las Vegas and because money has been tight lately with everything going on he has to take this job."

"I assume you're moving with him?"

"Originally no I was going to stay here so that I wouldn't be so far from Grace, but due to recent events I feel that it's the best idea that Charles and I go with Stan."

"Recent events being?" Danny asked immediately watching Rachel's hand fly down to her stomach and rub it softly. "You're pregnant."

"Yes about six weeks along. It was a surprise to all of us."

"Wow Rachel, talk about surprising."

"Yes I know that most would think that Stan and I were still suffering from the affair but we're working through our problems and I love him too much to give up now, especially with this little one on the way." Danny nodded smiling softly at the fond look on Rachel's face as she looked down at her stomach. He remembered finding out about Grace and felt a warm smile spread across his face, that had been hands down the greatest moment of his life before he met Steve and Nathan came into their life.

"When are you leaving?" Danny asked shaking his head clearing the memories and focusing back on Rachel.

"Stan is already there looking at places for us to live and getting all of that ready while I stay back and pack up the house and such."

"Have you told Grace and what are you planning on doing with Grace?"

"Yes Grace and I have talked about it and she understands why we're moving."

"How do you want this to play out? You know we can't change the agreement until Grace turns 16."

"Yes I'm well aware of that and my request is simple. I would like Grace to spend part of her summer vacation in Vegas with us, we can trade off with Thanksgiving, and I would like to have her at least one week during her winter break. We would take care of everything when she flies out to see us including her flight."

"You're okay with Grace flying out there by herself because honestly Rachel I'm not too keen on the idea."

"I agree after everything I'm not thrilled with the idea either, but Stan will still have business to do out here or on the big island so he has offered to schedule them around the time that Grace will be flying out so she is not alone."

"You've really thought of everything haven't you?"

"Of course I have Danny, this wasn't an easy decision to make and it kills me to be so far from Grace. But I have to do what is best for my family and I know that you will make sure that Grace knows how much we love her and will take care of her."

"I'll have to talk with Steve about this, but I don't see why it can't work out the way you've outlined."

"I wouldn't expect you not to talk to Steve; will you please tell him how sorry I am for what happened? It might even be better if he and I sat down face to face so that I can apologize to him as well." Danny nodded stilling when his phone began to ring in his pocket. He looked at his watch and instantly knew that Steve was calling him.

"It's Steve, I should probably get back to the office. I'll be in touch." Danny stood and waited for Rachel to stand as well.

"Thank you for meeting me today Danny, I really appreciate you giving me the chance to apologize." Danny shook his head and gave in wrapping his arms around Rachel surprising both of them. Rachel felt an immense weight fall from her shoulders as she hugged Danny back.

"One day Rachel, we're gonna look back at this and laugh at how stupid we both were."

"I look forward to it Daniel." Rachel smiled and walked out of the coffee shop with Danny. Yes they had finally cleared the air and they were finally on their way to hopefully forging some sort of friendship. It was about time that they finally started acting like the adults they were and it only took them six years to get there.

Danny watched Rachel walk towards her car and pulled his phone from his pocket hitting Steve's speed dial. "Hey babe, can you meet me at home? We've got some stuff to talk about." Danny listened for Steve's reply as he walked across the street to the Camaro and got in making his way home. He knew that Steve was going to say yes to Rachel's agreement after Danny had laid out everything and he only hoped that Steve didn't completely rip Rachel apart if they sat down face to face.

_**Endnote: so what did you guys think? Did you enjoy Danny finally telling Rachel off a little bit? I'm still looking for ideas for this story so if you have anything you think would be good for this story let me know, thank you so much for reading and let me know what you thought. Until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: see chapter one**

_**Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews for the last chapter. I'm glad you liked it so much and I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much. Like always I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors and such.**_

Every time Danny said the words, "We need to talk" Steve's stomach drops and a slight panic courses through his veins because those words never brought good news and Steve wasn't entirely sure that he was ready for whatever Danny had to say to him. But still Steve walked out of his office at Danny's phone call and got in his truck after telling Kono he was heading out to meet Danny and that she was free to do whatever she wanted. Steve sped the entire way home his curiosity and anxiety getting the best of him.

Danny wasn't entirely surprised to hear Steve's truck in the driveway ten minutes after they spoke. He knew that Steve was going to hurry home and for once Danny wasn't upset about Steve's lack of a fear gene. "Danny?" Steve called walking briskly into the house searching for his husband.

"Lanai." Danny called back standing on the edge of the lanai that met the sand. It seemed that the lanai had become their go-to place for serious conversations.

"What's wrong? Are the kids okay?" Steve looked around for any sign of their kids as Danny chuckled quietly turning to face Steve.

"Kids are fine and in school. Relax okay? There's nothing terribly wrong but I just wanted to get this conversation out of the way now."

"What's going on Danny?"

"Rachel called me this morning and asked to talk." Steve paused not sure how he felt about Rachel calling out of the blue. He wasn't sure how he actually felt about Rachel lately because he hasn't had any contact with her since before the custody battle began and to see Danny's nonchalance about her calling only served to confuse Steve even more. "She and Stan are moving to Las Vegas and oh yeah she's pregnant again."

"She knows she can't take Gracie with her right?" Steve asked only focused on his own kid instead of Rachel. Danny laughed as Steve sat down in an open chair, still not sure on why this was so important that he had to rush home.

"Yes Steve she knows that she can't take Grace with her. She actually has a fairly simple plan so that she can still see Gracie and such." Steve nodded as Danny laid out the terms that Rachel had asked for and thought about it. "What do you think? I think it's doable and easy enough. I mean she's going to have her hands full with two kids under the age of two but she's also leaving her daughter."

"If you're okay with it then I'm okay with it." Steve finally answered glancing quickly at Danny before locking his eyes on the tide as it rolled in and out. Danny sighed not happy with Steve's dismissive tone; he knew that Rachel was still a touching subject.

"No Steve, I want your opinion on the matter. You need to be okay with this too, Rachel even said as much." Danny pushed wanting to hear Steve's thoughts on the matter because Grace was just as much his daughter as she was Rachel and Danny's.

"Honestly Danny? I don't think I trust anything that comes out of Rachel's mouth and I'm surprised that you seemed to forgive her so easily. It's like you don't even remember the shit she put us through for almost a year because she couldn't stand the fact that you were happy with me." Steve replied as the anger coursed through his body. He had kept his mouth shut about how he felt towards Rachel for the longest time.

"Of course I remember Steven. But I'm also aware that I have a daughter with her and for Gracie's sake I'm willing to move on from that and try to get along with her. I know that you suffered just as much as I did throughout that whole ordeal too and I do not want to fight with you about this." Steve sighed and reached out pulling Danny towards him. Danny shook his head and got the hint sitting on Steve's armrest.

"I don't want to fight with you either, but I'm just saying that given her past I'm not too sure that I trust her. Maybe she has changed, but still I'm weary of her motives. I'm just trying to protect my family."

"You should sit down and talk with her, give her a chance to explain herself a little bit ya know? Maybe if you do, you'll feel better about this whole thing." Steve looked back out towards the waves and thought about it for a moment. "I don't want to pressure you into doing this if you're not comfortable, but it would be amazing for Grace to see us all getting along ya know?"

"Low blow using Grace to get me to do something detective." Steve lowly growled softly glaring at Danny for a moment before looking back out at the ocean. Danny chuckled softly and ran his fingers through Steve's hair.

"I learned from the best babe, I learned from the best." Steve only shook his head and pulled Danny so he was sitting in his lap.

"Alright fine, I'll meet with Rachel for Gracie. But I am not calling her to set it up."

"Of course you won't, it's okay you can just take Gracie over there this afternoon and I'll make sure that Rachel know you're stopping by." Danny wrapped his arms around Steve's neck resting his forehead against Steve's. Steve closed his eyes resting his hands at Danny's side.

"I'm worried that giving in so easily is going to come back to haunt us for some reason. I'm worried about how this is going to affect Grace." Danny sighed and pressed his fingers massaging Steve's neck. He had the same worries about their daughter. "I don't care what Rachel says, I want to make sure that Grace is as okay with this as she can be. I know how it much it can affect you being abandoned by one of your parents and I won't let Grace go through that." Steve spoke quietly refusing to open his eyes. Danny sighed and kissed Steve's forehead, he hadn't even thought about how this would remind Steve of his own upbringing.

"Since you have experience with this, I'll let you talk to Grace about this, okay?" Steve nodded and finally opened his eyes letting Danny see the pain swirling in his eyes at the mention of his parents. "Oh babe." Danny whispered cupping Steve's with his hands. "I know that you would never allow Grace to feel an ounce of the pain that you still carry with you."

"This is different Danny, she'll still have us."

"We need to tell her that, make sure she knows that and I know that she looks up to you during tough situations now, so it's your job to make sure she knows how much we all love her. You're the only one that she'll believe really understands." Steve nodded sighing as Danny kissed his temple before he stood up.

"Tell Rachel I'm gonna be a little late dropping Grace off. If I'm having this conversation with her I will not rush it."

"Tell Kamekona Nathan and I say hello." Danny joked as Steve walked into the house and towards his truck.

Grace was surprised to see Steve's truck parked outside of her school since it was her weekend with her mom and usually she picked her up from school. "Daddy what are you doing here?" Grace asked as she made her way towards the truck.

"I haven't seen you much this week, so I thought we could get some shaved ice before I dropped you at your moms." Grace lit up at the idea of spending some time with Steve since he had so busy doing training stuff with the team. Steve helped her into the truck taking the silence to gather his thoughts. This was not going to be an easy conversation to have with Grace and Steve just hoped that he didn't completely screw it up.

Grace talked the entire car ride about what Steve had missed this week and all the cool things coming up over the next couple of weeks and Steve noticed that she only talked about school or stuff with Danny's parents. She didn't mention anything about Rachel, Stan or him and Danny and that was a little unnerving to Steve. He waited until they had ordered and were seated at one of the tables before he decided to broach the subject.

"So Gracie, your mom told Danno about Vegas this morning."

"Yeah Stan got a new job and mom has to go with her because she's pregnant again."

"How do you feel about your mom going with Stan?" Grace looked out over at the water a pensive look on her face.

"I don't want her to go, but I know she has to." Steve sighed as he heard the sad tone of Grace's voice. He knew she would be having a hard time understanding the reasoning behind why Rachel was following Stan to Vegas.

"Gracie, you know your mom loves you right?" Grace nodded taking a bite from her shaved ice eyeing Steve carefully. "She doesn't want to leave you, but she has to. She's going to need Stan's help when the new baby comes. If she could figure out a way for her to stay here with you and be with Stan she would do it in a heartbeat, but right now there isn't a way for her to do both. Plus you're going to be here with me, Danno, and Nonna and Poppa."

"I know, but still I don't want her to go. She could have help with Charlie and the new baby here, why can't she just stay here with us?"

"You're right, she could have help here but how fair would that be to Stan, not being able to see his kids? Plus just because she's leaving doesn't mean you're not going to see her. You'll see her over winter and summer break, and there's video chatting and email. It'll be like she never left, you know?" Grace was silent for a moment but nodded her head. "I know it's not fair to you and I know you feel like you're mom doesn't love you because she's leaving, but that's not it at all. She loves you so much, as do Danno, Stan and I. We're all going to make sure that you see your mom as much as possible okay?"

"Yeah, I love you too daddy." Steve smiled and motioned for Grace to get up. Grace stood up and walked over to Steve's side of the table where Steve effortlessly pulled her into his arms. "Can we go to Mom's now? I need to talk to her." Steve nodded removing his arms so Grace could stand, once they were both standing Grace reached out and grabbed Steve's hand smiling brightly at him.

It was a quick drive over to Rachel's but Grace filled the ride with ideas of things she could get Nathan for his birthday. Steve promised as they pulled into the driveway to help her figure out which gift would be best. Rachel was waiting for them by the front door by the time Steve pulled up to the front door.

"Thanks for today daddy." Grace whispered wrapping her arms around Steve's neck for a quick tight hug before she jumped down from the truck and ran towards Rachel. Steve followed carrying her backpack and bag with her soccer uniform and other stuff she wanted to have with her.

"Hello Commander, Grace why don't you go play with Charlie out back?" Grace looked back at Steve to make sure it was okay to leave them.

"Go ahead Gracie; I'll stop by before I leave." Grace nodded and ran off to find her little brother leaving Steve and Rachel in the front hall.

"Would you like something to drink Commander?"

"Steve and no I'm good Rachel." Rachel nodded and motioned towards the kitchen where she could keep an eye on Grace and Charles while she and Steve had their chat.

"I assume that Danny told you about our chat?" Steve nodded waiting until Rachel had sit down to sit across from her. "I wanted to apologize to you about my behavior during that time. I know that you were just as affected as Danny was, if not maybe a little worse. I am sorry that I put you both and Grace through that and I wish that I could take it back. I know now that you make Danny happier than he ever would have been with me and I'm thankful for that. Danny deserves to have someone that loves him so unconditionally and celebrates who he is instead of trying to change him like I did." She paused letting her words sink in and looked out the window to see Grace pushing Charles on the swing set they had built for Grace when they moved to Hawaii all those years ago.

"Ya know I should probably thank you." Steve started completely catching Rachel off guard. She looked at him confused as to what he could possibly be thanking her for. "Had you not left Danny and remarried Stan moving here to Hawaii I would never have met Danny and I wouldn't have the greatest family in the world. He's the best thing that ever walked into my life and without him I wouldn't have the two most amazing kids making my life worth it, so thank you for bringing Danny into my life. As for the whole custody thing, you have nothing to apologize to me for. I may not like the way you handled it, but I understand why you did it. You were trying to protect Grace from our relationship because we both know how kids are going to be. They're going to make fun of her for having a gay dad, it's going to happen and neither one of us can stop it from happening."

"The fact that you are a man has nothing to do with why I did what I did because I know that Grace doesn't care about things like that. She only wants Danny to be happy, as do I." Rachel interrupted Steve wanting to make sure he knew that she wasn't that closed minded. "I was going through a time when my husband was hardly around, I was spending all my time with Charles, and trying to raise Grace by myself. So when I saw Danny happy with you, well it stirred something in me because I knew that if I had stayed with Danny he would have been there to help me. He would've made sure that we spent time together, because Danny is like that. I wanted that, I wanted Danny there to help me even though Charles was not his son. I was being selfish and acting out for Danny's attention. Now that I'm dealing with the depression I suffered with the birth of Charles things are better now. I know that I wrong with the way I acted. I'm happy that you and Danny are together and expanding your family. Danny was meant to have a big family because he has so much love to share." Steve sat back letting Rachel's words wash over him. Sure hearing it from Danny was one thing, but hearing the raw emotion behind Rachel's sincere apology was a lot to take in. Rachel really had come to her senses and realized the mistake she had made.

"Wow Rachel, I honestly never thought I would see the day that you realized the mistake you made and I'm not saying that Danny and I didn't make mistakes throughout the whole ordeal either. But still." Rachel couldn't help but chuckle at Steve's shocked expression.

"Therapy does wonders Steve."

"Yes it does." Steve joked sharing a small smile with Rachel.

"I hope that means that we'll be able to deal with each other civilly."

"Yes we have officially cleared the air. Holding ill feelings towards you will only hurt Gracie in the end and she has been through enough."

"I hate that I'm adding to it. I know that she is not happy that we're moving and it kills me to leave her, but it's for the best." Steve nodded and reached out squeezing Rachel's hand.

"I have experience with parents leaving so I talked to her today. I made sure she knew that you loved her and if you could you wouldn't be leaving. She knows that you're doing what is best for Charles and the new baby, but still it's going to be hard. Of course there's video chatting, emailing, and phone calls so hopefully she won't miss you too much when she's not with you. Which by the way, Danny and I both agree that Grace should be able to see you as much as possible and if by some chance Stan can't fly with her I will. I'm very comfortable flying." Rachel was flattered that Steve would do so much for her.

"Thank you." Grace and Charles appeared at the door grabbing both their attentions.

"Mom we're thirsty." Rachel smiled and stood up.

"I'll get you some juice. Thank you again Steve."

"Thank you Rachel. Alright Gracie I'm gonna head out, I'll see you on Monday okay?" Grace nodded and jumped into Steve's arms wrapping her arms around his neck burying her head in his neck. "Danno and I love you."

"Love you too. Give Nate a hug and kiss for me?" Steve nodded and kissed her forehead before he walked out still worried about how this whole situation was going to affect Grace. She had already been through so much and Steve hated to see her have to make a huge transition all over again, but there was nothing he could do it to stop it.

Steve took the long way home to get his thoughts together because he knew that Danny was going to ask him about his chat with Rachel. He walked into the house to see Nate chasing Jack out back while Danny stood in front of the grill watching the food and Nate at the same time. Nate spotted him and ran towards him making Steve smile as he pulled Nate into his arms.

"Hey buddy." Nate hugged Steve real quick before shimmying down and continued chasing Jack around laughing each time he managed to catch Jack. "Hay Danno." Steve whispered wrapping his arms around Danny's waist watching him flip the chicken on the grill.

"You okay?"

"Everything's fine, we talked it out. I'm just worried about Grace in the long run that's all." Danny nodded patting Steve's arm around his waist.

"Dinner should be ready in fifteen, why don't you go play with Nate and clear your head a little bit?" Steve nodded, kissing the side of Danny's neck before pulling away and joining Nate in the sand chasing Jack. Steve picked Nate up and swung him around making the young boy squeal in delight and giggle as Steve tickled him. He knew that things were going to change when Rachel moved and that Grace was going to have a hard time with it, but as long as they were there reminding her that she was loved they were all going to make it out of this whole thing because they were together. And as long as they were together they could do anything.

_**Endnote: So how did I do? I had some trouble writing this chapter because I wanted the scene between Rachel and Steve to be good, so let me know what you thought. Until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: see chapter one, but I still own nothing but some of the plot lines and original characters.**

_**Author's note: Thank you so much for the reviews for the last chapter, I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it so much. I apologize for the slight delay with this chapter, but the chapters are getting trickier to write as I'm trying to give you guys the best stuff possible. I want to thank everyone that continues to stick with me with each update, I appreciate it so much. I apologize in advance for any and all mistakes, but I hope you enjoy this lighter chapter.**_

Danny had never loved that his mother and father were on the island blocks away from them more than when the flu had hit Five-0.

Steve was the first person to get hit with the flu that was going out HPD. Because Steve rarely (almost never) got sick and hadn't had the time to get his flu shot, he was hit the hardest. Danny first noticed the symptoms and immediately sent Nathan to his parent's house and Grace got to spend an extra week with Rachel because there was no way that Danny was going to deal with both a sick Steve and sick kids. What Danny didn't account for was for his chances of catching the flu, which is how Danny found himself sidelined by the flu.

In hindsight when they both started showing signs of the flu, they should've immediately gone home. If they hadn't been in the middle of the high profile drug smuggling case at least Steve would've been able to go home and rest, but with the Governor and the media breathing down their necks they weren't able to stop and rest until they had shut down the cartel trying to poison their island which is how both Chin and Kono found themselves just as sick with the flu.

So the McGarrett-Williams house had become Flu central since Chin couldn't be around a very pregnant Malia while he was battling the flu and Kono didn't want to be left out. Deb waited no more than twenty minutes after Danny had called to tell her that the whole team had been hit with the flu before going over to the house and taking over. She walked in the door in full Mom-Mode and began pushing all of them into bed instead of allowing them to continue lying around on the couches groaning miserably at each other.

Steve was completely caught off guard when Deb showed up with enough Kleenex and medicine to take care of his whole SEAL team and he hadn't had a mother figure to take care of him for decades now. It was still a challenge at times to be around Deb because she had so much love in her heart it wasn't hard for anyone within five feet of her to feel loved and Steve wasn't used to having that much love directed towards him. He still struggled with Danny and how much love the man had for him, but Steve was trying.

"Here's some toast and your antibiotic Steve." Deb spoke softly as she placed Steve's plate down in front of him at the kitchen table. She wasn't surprised that Steve was the only one up. Steve smiled in thanks and took a bite of the toast and a long sip of his warm coffee almost groaning at the relief it brought his sore throat. Deb couldn't help but smile at how adorable and young Steve looked n that moment and her heart ached. She could see him struggling with her presence, could see that he was thinking about his own mother and it pained her to see the struggle in his eyes.

"Thank you." Steve whispered after he had finished eating. He was truly thankful that Deb was there for them. Before they had gotten to the island, Steve had a horrible time leaving Nathan at daycare and it was hard when they were in the middle of a case to lose either Danny or himself to make sure that the kids were taken care of. Now that Deb was there, Nathan and Grace enjoyed the extra time they got to spend with them. It was both an emotional and financial relief for him and Danny and the fact that she had dropped everything to take care of them while they were all battling the flu meant a lot to Steve.

"There is no need to thank me Steve, you're family and I take care of my family. Now finish your coffee and juice and then it's back up to bed." Steve smiled at the authoritative tone of Deb's voice.

"Ma'am yes ma'am." Steve replied smiling softly at her. Deb gave into the urge to comfort and wrapped her arms around Steve's shoulders and hugged him. Steve closed his eyes at the contact and sighed, for the first time in a long time Steve let his guard down and let her motherly love wash over him. "Thank you." Steve whispered again squeezing Deb's arm, he was thankful to have such an amazing woman in his life giving him the motherly love he had been missing for so much of his life.

Danny stood in the doorway and smiled at the sight of his mother and husband. He had felt incredibly lucky to have this two people in his life, even if he did feel like absolute crap. As if Steve has an internal Danno-radar (which Danny is convinced he does have) Steve looks up and Danny smiling.

"Good morning Danny, want some toast?" Danny smiled at his mother before a coughing fit hit making him bend over as he coughed up his right lung. Deb rubbed his back as the coughing subsided and handed him a cup of coffee. "Here this will soothe your throat, sit down." Danny smiled as he took a sip of his glorious coffee and rested his head on Steve's shoulder.

Chin and Kono joined them moments later, Kono mirroring Danny's position and resting her head on Chin's shoulder. Deb could only smile at how adorable the foursome was even when they felt utterly miserable. Steve thanked Deb again before he finally gave in to her order for rest and made his way back up the stairs. Deb could see the emotions swirling in Steve's eyes and looked over towards Danny, who was also watching his partner's retreating back with concern before looking towards his mother. She raised her hand to stop Danny before he thought about getting up and walked out of the kitchen to check on Steve.

Steve sat on the edge of the bed staring at one of the many family photos that sat on his nightstand of him, Danny, and the kids. He looked at their happy smiling faces so filled with love and he wondered how he could be so blessed with all the things he has gone through in his life. He felt incredibly blessed to have such loving people in his life, but he wasn't entirely sure he deserved it.

"Such a beautiful family." Deb commented sitting on the bed next to Steve, smiling at the picture. "Did you know how relieved I was when Danny joined Five-0? After getting over the fact that he had gotten shot at his first day, I was so happy to see that Danny had finally found people to take care of him and watching over him."

"We all love him." Steve interrupted finally looking up from the picture in his hands. "We wouldn't be Five-0 without Danny. I wouldn't be me with Danny." Deb stopped and put her arm around Steve's shoulder, it was a stretch with their height differences even sitting down but Deb managed all the same.

"You and Danny complement each other so well, you're still you. Danny has just brought out the finer points. I know you're probably looking down at that picture wondering how you managed to get to this level of happiness given everything you've been through, but don't. Don't sitting here dwelling on what did and didn't happen before. Focus on the fact that you have a wonderful loving family that will do anything for you. You and Danny were meant to be together and he was meant to bring all of this happiness to you. Your parents are looking down at you with smiles on their faces because you finally have a family of your own to love." Steve reached up and wiped at the stray tears that fell from his eyes. "You're an amazing man Steve and I'm so happy to have you as a part of our family." Deb stood up grabbing a tissue from the nightstand and handed it to Steve, tilting his head up so he was looking at her. "None of us are going anywhere, we love you. You need to rest, okay?" Steve nodded giving Deb a small smile as she kissed his forehead.

"I love you too mom." Deb smiled and waited until Steve was under the covers before slipping back into mother-hen mode by pulling up the covers and tucking Steve in as if he were six years old.

"Get some sleep, okay? We'll check in with the kids later." Steve nodded and closed his eyes finally feeling the morning catch up with him. Deb watched him for a few moments before she turned and left the room. Steve smiled as he heard Deb downstairs telling Chin and Kono to march their butts upstairs and to rest.

Danny waited until Kono and Chin left the kitchen before turning towards Deb. "He okay?" Danny knew something was up with Steve and he hoped that he had opened up with Deb.

"Yes, just thinking about things he shouldn't, much like my son is prone to do from time to time." Danny looked down sheepishly as Deb looked at him. "He just needed a reminder that he has a family that loves and cherishes him for who he is." Danny went to answer as a coughing fit hit again. "Alright Danny, get back upstairs and into bed. Like I told Steve, we'll check in with the kids later after you've gotten a chance to rest a little bit. Did you take your antibiotic?" Danny nodded, letting Deb kiss his forehead before he made his way up the stairs.

Deb carried the bottles of water up the stairs and stopped in the doorway of Steve and Danny's room to see them cuddle up together in the middle of the bed wrapped tightly in the blankets. She smiled watching them for a few moments before making her way into Kono's room.

Kono was awake when Deb opened the door and smiled up at her. "Here you are sweetheart, I heard you coughing and thought you would like some cool water. I also brought your meds and another box of Kleenex."

"Thank you." Kono replied after drinking half of her water. "You don't have to do this for me."

"Kono, you're family and I don't have to do anything but I want to. Don't hesitate to ask if you need something okay?" Kono nodded settling back under the covers. Deb tucked her in, much like she had with Steve before grabbing her supplies and leaving the room.

Chin was up and on the phone with Malia when Deb knocked. She smiled as Chin reassured Malia that Deb was indeed taking care of him and that he wasn't giving her any problems. Deb smiled and shook her head at the cuteness of the conversation. Chin kept reassuring her before Deb held her hand out. "Hello Malia, I promise that Chin is being nothing but a star patient. How are you and the baby doing?" Deb asked motioning for Chin to take his medicine. Chin smiled fondly and shook his head; Deb was too good to them. "I'm so glad to hear that dear and I promise I'll make sure gets better quickly so he can come home. Have a good day Malia." Deb hung up and handed Chin back his phone. "Still feeling feverish?" Deb asked pressing her hand against Chin's forehead.

"A little bit, not as bad as before." Deb nodded and handed him some aspirin. "Thank you." Chin spoke taking the offered pills from her.

"It's nothing Chin, like I told Kono you're family and I take care of my family." Chin smiled and nodded, they were a family. "Now get some rest, you have a wife to get back to." Chin nodded again and settled back under the covers watching Deb leave the room before closing his eyes.

It took a solid week for all four of them to fully recover from their bought with the flu, but Deb was there for them every step of the way. She made sure they had all their meds and drank plenty of fluids. She also disinfected the whole house when they finally went back to work. Steve and Danny were so thankful for Deb and everything she did for them that they decided to make dinner for her and Denny with Chin and Kono's help.

Deb was pleasantly surprised when Steve invited her over for dinner; usually she was the one making dinner for the team. Danny greeted her at the door and wrapped her in his arms pressing a kiss to the cheek. "This is our way of thanking you for taking care of us, you were amazing and I'm so blessed to have you as my mother." Deb smiled with a sheen of tears in her eyes at the sweetness of Danny's words as he led her out towards the lanai with Nathan, who was happy to finally be home with his dads.

"Hey Deb, would you like something to drink? We have wine, beer, juice, and water." Chin asked greeting her with a hug.

"Wine would be fine thank you Chin." Chin nodded and went into the house to open the bottle of red wine they had chilling. Steve waited until Deb was seated before bringing over Deb's favorite of Steve's dishes, fresh grilled tuna and setting it before her. "Thank you."

Denny watched from his seat as the kids fawned over Deb and smiled. It was nice to see his wife being appreciated for the things she did. He smiled at Danny as he set a beer in front of him before taking his seat as well. Steve remained standing and lifted his bottle.

"I want to take the time to thank Deb for taking the time to nurse all of us back to health. I speak for all of us when I say thank you for being an amazing women who has opened her heart and home to us."

"To Makuahine Williams." Chin added as they clinked their glasses and bottles together.

"What does that mean?" Grace asked from her seat, she loved learning new Hawaiian words.

"It means mother." Kono replied smiling brightly at Deb, who had tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, I'm honored that you all see me like that because it means the world to me. I'm so happy that my son has the three of you in his life, looking out for him and taking care of him when I couldn't. And I couldn't ask for three better surrogate children than you, I love you all." Steve went over and laid a hand on her shoulder squeezing lightly. "Now let's eat before it gets cold." They all chuckled and dug into their fish happy to send the evening surrounded by family.

_**Endnote: Well how was it? Did you enjoy the break from the tension for awhile? I want to let you guys know that the coming chapters will contain stuff from all the seasons, but I hope that it all plays out the way I want it to. Thanks again for reading and let me know what you guys thought, until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: see chapter one, but I still own nothing.**

_**Author's note: Like always thank you, thank you, thank you for those that read and reviewed the previous chapter you guys are the reason that I still enjoy writing this story so much. Also I apologize for the delay in this chapter, but I wanted to give you guys a long sweet chapter. I apologize in advance for any and all mistakes you might find, but I hope you enjoy this lighter chapter.**_

It really shouldn't surprise Steve that he doesn't know everything about Danny, that even after all the time they've spent together as partners, best friends, and lovers that there were still things that Steve didn't know about the man that holds his heart. But it does surprise him how he learns these new things about his Danno.

Nathan is the one that sheds light on something Steve didn't know about Danny. It was one of the rare days that Steve was actually able to get away from the office without feeling guilty so he and Danny had decided they needed time with their children, so Danny took Grace and Jack out for the afternoon and Steve picked Nathan up from Deb's for some fun.

"Daddy look, Danno plays bas-ball." Nathan exclaimed the moment he saw Steve walk into the house. Steve stopped short a mixture between a smile and a confused frown etched on his face. Deb had to laugh at how adorable Steve looked by thrown off by a three year old.

"No buddy I did not know that. Did Grandma tell you that?"

"Come see." Deb replied motioning for Steve to join them on the couch, Nathan had spied a picture of Danny from freshman year of high school and had asked Deb about it, which had resulted in her getting out all the photo albums with Danny's baseball photos for Nathan to look at.

"See daddy?"

"Yeah buddy I see. I bet Danno was amazing."

"Oh he was." Deb piped up as she launched into regaling both Steve and Nathan with stories about Danny's time spent as the star short stop for the Newark Sharks for all four years of high school. He went on to play in college, gaining some major attention from major league scouts, until he busted his knee during a slide to third base in the middle of his junior year.

The injury had been devastating for Danny, his whole life ended when he got hurt. He had a major surgery to repair his ACL and MCL and then months of physical therapy and months of soul searching to find out what Danny was going to do with his life. He had stumbled upon the police academy and had excelled rising to the top of his class and graduating with high marks in almost every single category he could.

Steve sat back as Deb told Nathan all about Danny's baseball career shocked, how on earth had he missed such a vital piece of information about his Danno? It made Steve wonder what else he didn't know about his Danno.

"Daddy, can we play ball?" Nathan asked grabbing Steve's attention from his inner musings. "I wanna be like Danno." Steve smiled down at his son and nodded his head pulling Nathan into his lap.

"Sure we can buddy, we'll need to get some the gear but I'd love to play with you and Danno. Why don't we end to the store and pick you up some gear and we can surprise Danno?" Nathan lit up at the idea of surprising his Danno and nodded a large smile spread across his face. "Go say bye to grandpa and get your backpack so we can head out." Nathan slid out of Steve's lap and ran towards the den where Denny was watching a baseball game.

"You know we could probably sign Nathan up for t-ball at the community center, maybe see if Danny could be one of the coaches of some sort. I think Nathan would enjoy it."

"It's probably time that we get him involved in activities, might be time to see if Grace wants to pick up a sport too."

"Danny's going to love seeing Nathan interested in baseball; it would be something they could bond over."

"Of course Nathan picks the one sport I know nothing about." Steve joked as Nathan came racing back into the room with what looked like a jersey clutched in his hands.

"Look Daddy, Poppa gave me Danno's shirt!" Nathan ran into Steve's legs holding the jersey out in front of him. Steve laughed as he picked Nathan up allowing Nathan to hold out Danny's baseball jersey.

"Danny is going to flip when you show him that, he's been bugging me for it since he moved out years ago." Deb joked looking at Denny who was standing in the doorway to the den smiling fondly at Nathan's excitement.

"Hey Nathan maybe tomorrow I'll show you Danno's trophies." Nathan got excited all over again and nodded his head.

"Alright buddy, we're out of here we've got some baseball gear to get." Nathan cheered as they made their way out of the house and towards the truck chatting about how cool Danno looked playing ball. It made Steve smile and chuckle at how excited Nathan was over wanting to play baseball.

Danny had decided to drop Grace off to spend some time with Rachel since she was leaving for Las Vegas in less than three weeks and was on his way home when he decided to stop by his parents' house. He had just pulled into the drive when he got the cryptic text from Steve saying he and Nate had a surprise for him. He racked his brain trying to figure out what they could possibly have in store for him but he came up with nothing. He wasn't surprised when he finally noticed Steve's car in the driveway, but he was surprised to see his mom smiling at him from the front door motioning for him to come in.

"Any hints as to what I'm walking into?" Deb shook her head and smiled as Danny reached her at the front door.

"You are going to love it." She replied lightly pushing him into the house. Danny shook his head muttering about Hawaiian sun driving all his loved ones crazy.

Steve greeted Danny in the living room with a large smile spread across his face. "Close your eyes Danno, Nathan's got a surprise for you and I'm sure you're going to love it." Danny eyed Steve for a moment trying to find anything but sighed and closed his eyes. Steve grabbed his hands and pulled him out towards the pool, where Nathan was working on his swing with Denny's help. Steve may have gone a little overboard at the sporting goods store but he thought it was well worth it, especially because he picked up some gear for Gracie too.

"Alright open your eyes." Steve said dropping Danny's hands moving out the way so Danny could see Nathan. Danny opened his eyes and laughed at how cute Nathan looked trying to swing the bat and hit the ball on the tee.

"What is this?" Danny asked smiling and clapping as Nathan finally hit the ball. "Good job buddy!" He cheered turning towards Steve and his mom for some explanation.

"Look Danno, I'm playing baseball just like you!"

"And you're doing so good buddy." Danny replied crouching down so Nathan could run into his arms, still carrying his bat. He turned towards Deb wondering how on earth Nathan had gotten so interested in baseball in an afternoon.

"Nathan saw a picture of you in your uniform and asked about it. He thought it was so cool that his Danno was such a popular baseball player. He was gushing about it all afternoon even when Steve came he kept going on and on about it. I was surprised that Steve didn't know that you played, so I showed Steve all the pictures and news articles, he was very impressed."

"So Nathan and I decided to pick up some gear so he could play catch with his Danno. I an unfortunately horrible at baseball." Danny smiled at Steve that immediately made Steve frown. "Don't even start Danno."

"I'm just saying babe, it's nice to know that there is actually something that I'm better at than you."

"Other than paperwork you mean?" Steve shot back smiling coyly at Danny. Danny only chuckled and set Nathan down so he could continue playing.

"Come on Danno, come play with me." Danny smiled at Nathan before turning back towards Steve.

"Ya know babe, I'd be more than willing to help you with your baseball skills." Danny winked at Steve cheekily before turning and helping Nathan hold his bat correctly. Steve just shook his head before joining his family and playing out field for Nathan.

Danny smiled the entire way back to their house. He was excited that Nathan wanted to play baseball; it would give them time to bond. Over dinner Deb shared her idea about Nathan playing t-ball and Danny possibly helping out and Danny was all for it. He wanted to have something that was only Danny and Nathan's, Steve and Grace had swimming and surfing so it was only right that Danny have something he could share with his son. He glanced back at Nathan, who was fast asleep in the back seat of the Camaro and smiled, he couldn't wait to see just how great of a player Nathan turned out to be.

Steve and Danny pulled up to the house at exactly the same time. Steve left Danny to take care of Nathan as he went to disable the alarm and open the door. Steve watched with a fond smile spread across his face as Danny carried, a now half awake, Nathan into the house. "Hey, why don't you put him to bed and we can have some beers on the lanai." Danny nodded turning towards the stairs, Steve watched him for a few moments before turning and grabbing the bucket and beer so that they could enjoy the warm night watching the stars.

Danny smiled as Steve held out a beer for him; he was exhausted after working and spending time with his kids. It was a good feeling to have, he mused as he took a long pull from his bottle. "Today was good huh?" Steve asked turning in his chair so he could look at Danny. Danny shook his head and smiled.

"The best." Danny replied giving Steve a bright smile that made Steve grin in return. He went on to ask about Grace and how she was doing with the whole Rachel leaving thing and Danny told him all about their afternoon spent on the beach enjoying shaved ice and Grace telling Danny everything. Steve's heart hurt hearing that Grace still wasn't okay with Rachel leaving, but wasn't going to let it ruin the remaining time she had with Rachel.

Steve let a silence fall between them for a few moments before turning the conversation back to lighter topics. "Ya know earlier you offered to help me with my swing."

"Hmm yes, yes I did. I meant it too; I can't have my husband being horrible at baseball."

"So you wouldn't be opposed to spending a night with me at the batting cages?" Danny turned in his seat a lecherous grin spread across his face.

"Are you asking me out on date McGarrett?" Steve chuckled and took a long pull from his bottle before shrugging.

"Would you say yes?" Danny looked Steve up and down before shaking his head at Steve.

"Babe you should know by now that with you I'm a sure thing." Steve smiled, leaning forward to give Danny a hard kiss that had Danny following Steve as he leaned back in his chair. Danny pulled back and yawning the day's activities finally catching up with him.

"Name the time and place and I'll be there babe." Steve nodded grabbing both Danny and the beer bucket back into the house to get the sleep both of them were craving.

Because Steve was convinced that the criminals on the island knew when he was trying to plan a romantic evening with his partner and decided to come out in full force, Steve wasn't able to name the time or place for their date until three weeks after Steve found out about Danny playing baseball. But finally after weeks of long days and short nights Steve was able to get three days off for the team. They spent the first two doing various activities with their kids and the team, before Deb volunteered to take Grace and Nathan for the night so that Steve and Danny could have some alone time.

Danny couldn't hide his excited smile as they pulled up the batting cages that Steve had found for them. He hadn't really been able to hit a few balls since he moved to Hawaii three years ago and he had missed his go-to stress reliever. He was even more excited to be able to spend some time with Steve because it had been months since they last time they had a night to themselves. He could see the time that Steve took into planning their outing; he had taken Danny to buy a new glove and a bat of his own. Danny had dug out one of his high school jerseys that still fit, sure it was a bit snug, but it still fit and Steve was wearing one of his old high school football shirts making Danny wonder what it would be like if he had met a high school aged Steve.

"You ready to see my skills babe? Be prepared to be amazed."

"You always amaze me Danno." Steve sweetly replied motioning for Danny to lead the way. Danny walked into the cage and swung the bat a couple of times to loosen his muscles while the machine started up. Steve watched in awe as Danny swung and hit each ball flawlessly sending them flying back towards the pitching machine. He knew that Danny had a laser like focus; he saw it when they were out in the field, when both Nathan and Grace were within ten feet of him, and when he was trying to solve any problem. But to see that focus shifted onto something that Danny had enjoyed was something else entirely. Danny wasn't just good at baseball, he was amazing. Danny turned after hitting for quite some time and smiled at Steve. "Wow Danny, no wonder you have so many trophies."

"Thanks Babe." Danny replied ducking his head as a blush rose up his cheeks, a faint smile spread across his face. "Wanna give it a try?" Steve looked between the bat and the machine thinking about it for a moment before Danny's smile won him over and he nodded.

"I just want to let it be known that I have never done this before and I might just suck." Danny shook his head and smiled motioning for Steve to assume the position.

Steve took his stance, much like he had seen Danny do, and waited. He watched the ball fly at him and swung a few seconds too late missing the ball entirely. His shoulders fell a bit because he was not used to failing so easily. "Come on babe, try again." Danny urged, sounding as if he was speaking to one of their kids and Steve took a deep breath shoring up his shoulders and watching the ball again. This time he managed to clip the ball a tad, but it still flew past him. He turned towards Danny wondering what the hell he was doing wrong. Danny smiled, pushed off the fence and walked into the cage with Steve. "Here babe, let me help." He got behind Steve, molding Steve's body into the correct alignment even wrapping his hands around the bat with Steve's teaching Steve the right swing to hit the ball.

It was insanely intimate to be pressed together like this, Danny's body molded against his, helping him swing a baseball bat. Steve felt a rush of emotion flood his entire body, arousal hitting the hardest. He hadn't been this close to Danny in so long that his body was now almost craving him now. He needed to touch Danny, had to touch Danny. But he needed to hit this ball first, once he finally hit a ball it was game on and he could move into the second part of their evening. It took a few tries (ten) until Steve finally hit the ball and Danny's proud cheer from outside the cage made Steve's heart burst with love. It wasn't much longer after that, after Danny had another go at the machine, working off even more of his stress before they decided to head back to the house for dinner and some alone time.

Steve could see the loose air surrounding Danny as he drove them home. It was nice to see Danny relaxed and carefree for a few moments. In this moment they weren't parents, they weren't Five-0, they were just Steve and Danny, two guys that were madly in love with each other and it was a nice feeling. It was nice to just be Steve and Danny for a moment.

"This is nice." Danny murmured as Steve steered the Camaro down the driveway. "It's nice to just be you and me for a little while, have all your attention on me." Danny continued, smiling as if he knew he was reading Steve's mind.

"You always have my attention." Steve replied squeezing Danny's hand as he killed the engine.

"Flattery gets you everywhere McGarrett."

"Why do you think I try to flatter you so much?" Danny looked at Steve for a moment before throwing his head back and laughing loudly and freely. Steve grinned and shook his head leading Danny towards the house because he had a surprise for Danny after dinner.

"Does this date include dinner?" Danny asked as Steve unlocked the front door and disabled the alarm. Danny waited for the answer until he saw the table out on the lanai already set and he had his answer. "Oh yeah you're buttering me up, you planning on getting lucky sailor?" Steve stopped at the silky tone of Danny's voice and turned lust pumping through his body, his pupils blown wide.

"I'm always planning on getting lucky detective." Danny grinned pulling Steve flush against his body, letting Steve feel how much Danny appreciated all the effort Steve was making.

"Can I have dessert first or do we have to have dinner now?" Danny asked hopefully toying with the hem of Steve's t-shirt. Steve pretended to think about it for a moment before kissing Danny soundly on the mouth.

"Dinner can wait; I can't wait any longer to give you your next surprise." Danny pulled back at the word surprise and stared Steve down; trying to see what he could possibly have in store for him. "Give me five minutes and then come up to the bedroom okay?" Danny nodded as Steve gave him a short kiss before he was sprinting up the stairs, leaving Danny breathless and wondering.

Danny knew he should be concerned about Steve planning something, he knew he should be worried as to what was awaiting him in the bedroom. But after the day's events, Danny found that he couldn't care less about how worried he should be. He was happy that Steve had planned something for him, he felt loved at the thought that Steve had taken the time to come up with something to give to Danny. He took the stairs two at a time because he wanted to see what his partner had waiting for him, although he wasn't prepared for the sight that greeted him when he came to the bedroom door. His mouth flew open in surprise at the sight.

Steve stood at the foot of their bed, grinning at Danny in only his boxers and Danny's college baseball jersey. Danny's mouth snapped shut as the lust coursed through his veins. He couldn't deny that seeing Steve in his jersey with his number stretched across his muscular chest was insanely hot. Danny had briefly wondered once or twice if Steve could get even hotter and he could, and in this moment Danny decided, yes he definitely could.

"Do you know how hot you look right now? Oh babe, seeing my number stretched across your delicious chest, you have no idea babe. I've always wanted someone to wear my jersey." Danny breathed out making his way towards the bed his fingers splayed across Steve's chest.

"I'm your biggest fan Danny, forever and always." Steve whispered as Danny's fingers traced the number over and over again.

"I love you babe." Danny murmured pulling Steve down for a hard kiss using his body to push Steve down on the bed. "I love you so much babe."

"Show me." Steve replied before Danny shut off all coherent thought with his mouth, which was another thing that Steve could add to the things he didn't know about Danny list, even after all the time they've been together Danny has never taken control. Yet with just one kiss he had robbed Steve of his need of control and coherent thought.

Steve loved learning new things about the love of his life even after all the time they've spent together.

_**Endnote: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter; it is my gift to all of you for your awesome reviews and for sticking with me through three stories. I wanted this chapter to be light and filled with the love because it is in the holiday season and I was feeling punch drunk on love. Please don't hesitate to let me know what you guys thought about this chapter and any and all ideas you might have. Happy Holidays to all of you! ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: see chapter one, but I still own nothing.**

_**Author's note: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing the last chapter. You guys truly are amazing. This chapter is my end of the year gift to each and every one of you that have stuck by me through each story and at times ridiculously long delays between updates. I apologize for each and every mistake but I hope that you guys still enjoy this update!**_

The minute Mary saw the plan CD leaning against her front door she knew she was in trouble. Her heart began to pound and after making sure that the package wasn't beeping (Steve and Sam had trained her well) Mary called the one person she knew would be help her without question.

"Hey, I have a huge favor to ask. I need you to come over to my place ASAP, alone. You are the only person that I can trust with this right now. Thank you so much."

Mary sat in her living room eying the CD on her coffee table, she had no idea what was on the thing and that thought alone made her heart race and her leg begin to nervously bounce. She looked up and shot off of the couch flinging herself into Danny's arms, who didn't hesitate to hug her tightly. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Is Chris hurt?" Danny fired off pushing Mary back enough so he could get a good look at her.

"Chris is fine, I'm physically fine but I'm freaking out. I came back from Chris's this morning and found this resting against my door. I have no idea what it is or who sent it, but I know that it's not good."

"Alright let's see what this mysterious thing is. I swear you McGarrett's are magnets for crazy. I can't believe I agreed to take on the crazy magnet name, I guess it just shows how crazy this island has made me. Where's your laptop?" Danny ranted making Mary smile a little bit. She loved Danny for breaking some of the tension in the room. Mary motioned towards the kitchen table where her laptop sat and watched Danny get into Detective mode.

"How'd you get away without Steve?"

"Luckily my Super SEAL was out with Kono organizing the ammunitions closet so I was able to slip away. But the more important question is, when did you make a sex tape?" He looked at her with questioning eyes making Mary cringe. "It's a little Night in Paris-esque but kudos on avoiding the night vision and cheesy porn set up." Mary pulled the laptop towards her and her mouth fell open in shock. "Second question and third question, who is the guy and why did he send you this?"

"His name is Owen Clawson; we dated on and off for two years back in LA. He was involved in some bad stuff and when he got busted I split, I wasn't about to get in trouble. He didn't take it too kindly and I guess he's out and looking for reconciliation. He knows about Steve and his standing here in Hawaii, knows that bad once someone sees the tape and puts two and two together, it'll put both of us in trouble. He probably heard about my job in the State Department from one of his crew and he knows that it'll ruin everything."

"Well Mary you sure do know how to pick the craziest mother fucker to fall in love with you don't you? Alright so here's what I'm going to do, I'm going to find out what I can about this Owen kid and see what he's been up to."

"You can't tell Steve or Chris about this. I'm ashamed enough knowing you've seen that tape, there is no way I'm going to let my brother or boyfriend see one of the lowest points of my life. Please just keep this between you and me? For right now?" Danny sat back in his chair thoroughly looking at Mary thinking over what she was asking him.

"Do you understand what you're asking me to do? You're asking me to lie to my partner, to my husband about his sister potentially being in danger. Do you understand the risk involved with this? Steve will not be happy, he'll be pissed."

"I know Danny and I understand I'm asking a lot. But until we know exactly what Owen wants, can we please not tell anybody? I promise as soon as I know why Owen's doing this, I'll go to Steve and Chris myself. Please Danny; I love them too much to let them see this." Danny got up from his chair at the first crack in Mary's voice and pulled her into his arms rubbing soothing circles on her back. He wondered why she had called him, at first he felt honored that she would feel comfortable coming to him, but now he felt like she was using him. She knew that he would do anything to protect his family and he did consider Mary part of his family, but he felt in that moment that maybe Mary still only saw him as Steve's partner, instead of family. Shaking his head he sighed and after weighing his options, he knew that Steve would want him to protect his sister.

"Okay, I promise. As long as you do exactly what I tell you to do, I'll keep my mouth shut." Mary nodded her head pulling away and wiping tears from her cheeks. "You are not by any means to be alone in this house; actually you are not to be here period. You can either come to our house, Chris's or my parents. You will call or text me when you're leaving the house and when you get to work and the same on your way home. You see anything suspicious you call me or 911. I swear to God Mary if you don't listen to me I'll be spilling my guts to Steve so fast."

"Can I stay with you guys? I'd feel better there and plus I could get to spend some time with my niece and nephew."

"Of course you can stay with us, go pack a bag while I try to figure out how to spin this with Steve." Mary nodded and silently went down the hallway. Danny watched her enter her room before pulling out his phone. He hated lying to Steve, but Mary was right there was no reason to involve Steve until they knew exactly what they were dealing with. He said a quick prayer that Steve would understand and not be super pissed at him as he waited for Mary. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach that this was going to blow up in his face and he prayed that he would still have a partner when it was all said and done.

Steve wasn't too suspicious about Mary staying with them; Danny would even say that he was excited that Mary was taking some time off of work to spend time with them. Danny coaxed Steve into taking some time off as well to spend time with his sister and the kids, it seemed too easy and Danny almost thought it would be a simple thing to get this guy to back off, until that is Danny actually looked into the unfortunate soul that Mary had fallen in love with.

Owen Clawson was to put it nicely a bad guy. He had a rap sheet longer than Danny's arrest record with almost every imaginable charge under the sun from possession, stalking, prostitution, guns, and kidnapping. Danny's stomach dropped as he sorted through the various charges and he knew that getting this guy to back off wasn't going to be easy even with the outstanding warrant for failing his drug test and of course the whole leaving the state of California while on parole thing. He knew why Owen was coming after Mary, he could see it in the notes his court appointed therapist wrote. Owen was obsessed with Mary, to the point that he thought that he was the only one that Mary should be with. There were pages and pages of notes about Mary that Owen wouldn't stop until he got Mary all to himself. The more Danny looked into this guy the worse he began to feel about this and he knew that he couldn't do this alone, he was going to need help and he knew there was only one person that could help him.

Mary knew the moment that Danny walked in the door that the jig was up, she was going to have to tell Steve. She knew she could only stall him for so long, but when he got a look at Owen's rap sheet she knew he wasn't going to keep it from Steve. She sighed as she caught the look on Danny's face, he looked angry. And he had every right to be, Mary knew the stuff that Owen was involved in, she knew just how bad he was, but she didn't tell Danny.

"Don't even think about it." Danny warned seeing her stand ready to say something to him. "You lied to me; wait no you kept things from me. You asked me to help you and you knew that this guy was a bad apple to put it nicely. I can't take this guy down by myself, so I'm sorry but I'm telling Steve and I'm bringing Five-0 into this."

"No Danny please, just let me see if I can talk to him. Let me see if there's a way to make him go away. We don't need to involve Steve, not yet." Danny humorlessly laughed a hard look spread across his face.

"You don't get it Mary; he's not going to just go away. Face it, he's stalking you. You don't understand that he could potentially hurt my kids or my parents trying to get to you! There's no way that I'm going to let that happen. You know that family means everything to me and you used that to get me to do this for you. In order to protect you I have to tell Steve, so figure out how you're telling Chris because I'm done keeping this a secret." Danny looked at her one more time before heading out to the backyard where Steve was playing in the sand with the kids.

Steve smiled when he saw Danny, before he noticed the look on his face. He didn't like the hurt look that was spread across his partner's face. "Hey Gracie, can you take Nathan in to get some juice?" Grace looked up at Steve and nodded reaching out to grab Nathan's hand to lead him into the house.

"Danno!" She exclaimed when she caught sight of her father. Danny didn't hesitate to crouch down, a large smile spread across his face as Grace rushed into his arms.

"Hey monkey, hey buddy." Danny greeted kissing both of them on the head as they wrapped their arms around him. "Are you guys having fun with Daddy?"

"Uh huh, we're going to get some juice and see if Aunt Mary wants to play with us." Danny stood smiling broadly at them before they took off into the house leaving Steve and Danny on the beach.

"What's wrong Danny?" Danny sighed and turned wrapping his arms around Steve pulling him flush against his body. "Danny?" Danny didn't answer; he just wanted to just have a quiet moment with Steve.

"We need to talk, but not here. We have a case of sorts and I want to bring you up to speed before I call Chin and Kono in." Steve looked at Danny and knew there was a lot he wasn't telling him, but he nodded all the same. "Okay, I'll call mom to see if she can come watch the kids while you get dressed."

"Danny, Mary's here she can just watch the kids no problem." Danny tensed at the mention of Mary and Steve knew in that moment that this 'case' had to do with Mary and his stomach dropped. He could feel the anger boiling under Danny's skin and his stomach clenched. What on earth had Mary gotten into this time that had Danny so angry?

"Go get dressed while I call mom." Danny repeated telling Steve that he wasn't going to budge on this. Steve nodded feeling that it was better to just let Danny have his way this time. Danny followed him into the house and watched Steve make this way up the stairs as he called his mom.

Danny was silent the entire drive to HQ, which only served to set Steve even more on edge. He knew that something big was up and that it had involved Mary in some way or another. He wondered why Danny seemed so angry and defeated at the same time.

"Before I tell you this," Danny started finally breaking the tense silence between them. "Promise me you won't get mad at me."

"Danny-"

"Promise me Steven." Danny snapped gripping the edge of the smart table a tad too hard. If Chin were there he wouldn't gotten a lecture about breaking the thousand dollar smart table.

"I promise Danny, I won't get mad at you."

"Okay so three days ago Mary called me in a panic. She found this on her doorstep. It turned out to be a video of her having sex with some guy. I promise I'm the only one that watched it and I only watched thirty second of it." Danny added seeing Steve tense at the mention of his sister and sex tape in the same sentence. "The guy, Owen Clawson, and Mary used to date for two years on and off. She picked a real winner let me tell you." Danny threw Owen's rap sheet up onto the screen. He let the sheet do the talking for him and he watched Steve read every single charge, his fists clenching even with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What does he want? What's the point of sending Mary this?" Danny's answer was to throw the file on the therapist up onto the screen so Steve could see the deep obsession this guy had for Mary. He also pushed the note that Danny had found at Mary's house the other day. It simply said that, 'We belong together' but the photos that had shown up along with it where the tipping point. Danny waited for Steve to get to the photo that had set Danny off. "This son of a bitch was near our kids Danny!" Steve exclaimed throwing the pictures down on the table. "Why the fuck didn't I know about this sooner?"

"Mary convinced me that it would be easier to wait and see what Owen wanted before she told you. She used the fact that family means everything to me in order to get what she wanted. She didn't want you to know, she was scared of what you would think about her. I guess she doesn't care what I think about her since she let me watch it and she told me. But she didn't tell me just how fucked up this guy was. I mean that's only half of his sheet Steve, there's more way more. But I took the liberty to check the house, make sure that Owen hadn't gotten in and maybe planted a bug or something and you won't believe what I found. This guy has been sending Mary letters for weeks and she knew about it. She knew that he was coming for you and she said nothing. She kept this from everybody and waited until he actually came to the island to finally come clean. She put all of us in danger by waiting so long and she doesn't know about the note and photos, but now you can see why I don't want our kids around her right now." Steve deflated a little bit when Danny said he didn't think Mary cared how he felt about her. He knew that Mary was out of line exploiting Danny's need to protect his family. She knew about Matt and what that had done to Danny and to then use that feeling against him didn't sit right with Steve. Mary may be Steve's sister, but Danny and the kids were his whole world and he couldn't' sit by and let someone hurt them. He pulled Danny into his arms and rubbed his back gently. There was no doubt that this situation was too close to how the Matt thing played out. Matt had known that he was in trouble and had kept it from his family for months before he took off. It was understandable that Danny was taking this one a little too personally and that only served to anger Steve even more. Mary knew all about the Matt situation, Steve had made sure she knew so that they could avoid certain things that would trigger Danny reliving the whole situation.

Once they had caught this son of a bitch, Steve was going to have a nice long conversation with Mary. But first things first, Steve was impressed at Danny's detective skills once again and he felt good about catching this guy.

"I can't believe you got this much in three days, I believe you've been holding out on me Detective." Danny smiled softly as he pulled away from Steve's embrace. He could see what Steve was trying to do and he appreciated it, but it didn't take the sting out of Mary's actions. "I assume that you have an idea of where Owen is right now?"

"I have it narrowed down to five different places. I was thinking that with Chin and Kono's help, we could divide and conquer." Steve nodded already pulling his phone out to call them. He knew they weren't going to be happy to be called into work on a Saturday, but once they knew the reason he thought they wouldn't be too upset.

Steve was surprised to see how upset his team got when they found out that Mary had used Danny in the manner she had. They both thought that Mary was family and couldn't understand why she would go to Danny. Even two years later, Matt was still a sore subject with all of them and it didn't sit well with them that Mary would ignore that. But still she was a victim and they had a duty to protect her.

After their briefing, they split up to see if they could find Owen. Steve took Kono with him, knowing that Chin's relaxed manner (and history with family screwing him over) would be a good thing for Danny right now. They came up empty on finding Owen in any of the places Danny had thought he would be, but lucked out when they found a girl that had gone home with one night. She had told him that Owen had liked to frequent the same three bars.

"You do realize that one of these bars happens to be the bar that we frequent from time to time?" Kono mentioned as they huddled around the table trying to figure out a strategy to catch Owen. Steve tensed at this and nodded, not liking the fact that this guy was somewhere on the island. He wanted to hurt this guy for coming within one hundred feet of his kids put him on edge. "I'm thinking we do a little undercover work. Owen has probably seen a picture of Steve, so why don't Chin, Danny, and I go hang out at the bar and see what's up? Maybe get a few HPD officers to hang out to help out. It might help." Steve leaned back in his chair, resting his head on his fist. He didn't like the idea of not being involved in possibly catching this guy, but they had to do everything necessary to catch the guy.

"I agree to the undercover, but I'm not going with you guys. Owen might have seen me poking around at Mary's house plus you two blend in better." Danny suggested leaning forward in his chair and clasping his hands together to keep them from flying around. "Plus as I'm sure Steve is feeling as well, I'm not sure that I could keep my hands off of this son of a bitch because he came close to our kids and that just is not okay." Kono nodded seeing the validity in Danny's points.

"So you guys should be out front in one of our cars because the Camaro and truck might tip him off and Kono and I will be stationed inside with a few of HPD's finest officers and we'll see if he doesn't show up." Steve nodded glad that Denning had agreed that this was in fact an important case not that Steve wouldn't have done it anyway, but it was nice to have the Governor's support.

"Okay, we'll meet back up around 7:30 here to get ready. In the meantime it might help to get some rest, catch some waves, whatever you need to do in order to be on your game later on. We catch this son of a bitch tonight." Chin and Kono nodded bidding their farewells leaving the two in command alone in the office, staring at the pictures Owen had taken of Mary a few days ago.

"Danny." Steve started grabbing Danny's attention from the monitor. "You okay?" Danny sighed and shrugged his shoulders. He really didn't want to have this conversation with Steve in the middle of the case. They needed to catch this guy before he actually tried something on Mary and heaven forbid when she's with the kids, but Steve needed to make sure his partner was okay. "Danny, talk to me."

"I'm fine Steve. I'm as fine as I can be with knowing that some sick fuck is out there taking pictures of my kids and stalking someone I consider my sister, who obviously doesn't see me as a family member. Although she was right that I was the only one that would help her without just going crazy and hunting this guy down without all the facts. It still doesn't feel right, it feels like she knew that I cared about her and knew that I would bend over backwards to make sure she was okay. I don't like how this played out Steve. It stirs up too much babe that I am not capable of dealing with right now." Steve sighed and made his way over towards Danny, resting his hand on Danny's shoulder.

"I'm not happy about this either. I don't like the way that Mary went about this and I do think that she exploited the fact that you would do anything for her. I love you for doing everything you could to protect my sister and I can never thank you enough for it. But you're right, it wasn't fair of her to put this on you in the way that she did. And she did lie to you and thus put our kids in danger and that is not okay with me Danny. I promise as soon as we catch this wacko, I'll talk to her because she cannot almost pit the two of us against each other and hurt the one person that I love most in this world. I promise Danny, I'll make it better." Danny looked up at Steve, the emotions swirling in his blue eyes that Steve leaned down and captured Danny's lips in a sweet kiss pouring so many emotions into the simple kiss. "Let's go see the kids for a little bit." Danny nodded and reached out intertwining his hand with Steve's. Steve was more than happy to give Danny all the comfort he needed.

Stakeouts were incredibly boring; no matter how many times they do them. Steve always tried to psych himself up, tell his own mind that it wouldn't be mind numbingly boring. But it always was, even if Danny was sitting in the car next to him. Tonight especially was bad because Danny wasn't talking that much, he was sitting there watching the people come and go from the bar but he wasn't capitalizing on the moment to rant at Steve about anything and everything he could think of. That was actually Steve's favorite part of the stakeout was having uninterrupted time to banter with Danny. "Ya know this reminds me of Mattie." Danny quietly spoke never taking his eyes off the front door of the bar. Steve sighed shifting in his seat trying to find some comfort.

"Danny, neither this situation nor the situation with Matt are not your fault. You can't protect someone that doesn't want to be protected or helped. Yes Mary came to you but this isn't your burden to carry, Mary got herself into this situation and she let it escalade to this level. She could've and should've come to us when she got the first letter from him but she thought she could handle it by herself. So please don't feel as if you could've done something to save us from all of this, because you couldn't."

Danny was quiet for a few moments before he sighed and finally looked at Steve. "I know."

"I know it's hard to admit that you couldn't have done anything to save either of them, but you need to realize that people are going to make mistakes that have nothing to do with you. Matt did what he did because of him, not you or your family. He didn't do everything overnight because you left for Hawaii. I've seen the reports and evidence Danny; it was going on way before you left. You are not to blame for him or this, you hear me?" Steve grabbed Danny's chin gently making sure he was looking Steve in the eye. "You are an amazing father, detective, and husband." Danny's shoulders fell as if a weight had been lifted and he smiled softly.

"Thanks babe. I guess I needed a knock of sense huh?" Steve smiled happy to see the tension vanish from the small confines of the car.

"Nah, I'm convinced you just wanted me to talk about my feelings and boost your ego at the same time. I am on to you detective." Danny smirked shaking his head as he reached out squeezing Steve's thigh before turning his attention back towards the door watching the people coming and going.

Finally after seeing in the car for almost five hours Danny spotted Owen making his way into the bar. He and Steve waited for Kono to confirm he entered before they were cuffing him and dragging him back out. It was satisfying to see him in the backseat of a squad car, but the end of the case meant it was time for Steve to talk to Mary. She needed to know how wrong she was in the way she handled this situation.

They made it home in the wee early morning hours both bone tired from sitting in the car all night and running for days to find Owen. Steve wasn't surprised to see Mary camped out on the couch waiting for them, he expected her to want to know if they had caught him. Danny looked at her expectant look and merely nodded before turning and kissing Steve before making his way up the stairs. He was too tired both physically and emotionally to even try and think let alone play mediator between Steve and Mary.

"We need to talk." Steve started making his way into the kitchen to make some coffee and grab something to eat.

"Yeah I guess I can't avoid it anymore huh?"

"First things first, if you're in trouble you come to me not Danny. I'm your brother ya know."

"I didn't want you to know that I screwed up again, I'm trying to do better with my life."

"Still you come to me Mary."

"Okay I got it, always come to you." She turned thinking the conversation was over but Steve was far from done.

"We're not done Mary. You need to understand exactly why I'm incredibly pissed and disappointed with you. Did you know that this guy was following you and that he had pictures of my kids? Did you know that you were putting my family in danger?"

"If I had known he was following me I would of immediately come to you, but he was just sending letters about how much he loved me. He didn't start threatening me until a couple of days before I called Danny."

"Which brings me to my next bone to pick with you, why Danny? You know the thing with Matt still bothers him. Didn't you think that this would stir up those feelings? Yes you made a great choice telling Danny what was going on, but lying to him didn't help matters. He loves you like family and you made him feel horrible because you told him that you were ashamed for Chris and I to know, so what does that make Danny? Way to play on the man's insecurities Mare, I mean I thought you were better than that."

"I didn't mean to make him feel like I was using him and I sure as hell didn't mean to bring up feelings about his brother. I love Danny and I would never dream of making him feel like that. I know he's been through a lot before you got together. I called him because I knew he would help me no questions asked that he wouldn't judge me and would actually help me. Yes I know I should've told him everything but I was scared okay? I didn't want him to get hurt trying to help me and I certainly didn't want you involved until we had all the facts because you tend to fly off the handle at the littlest thing." Mary replied clenching her fist at her side, she didn't like Steve accusing her of not caring about Danny. Danny was responsible for bringing Steve and Mary back together and was always there to listen.

"You need to make sure that he knows that okay? And in the future don't ever tell him to keep something from me. He and I don't keep secrets from each other and I don't plan on ever starting no matter who's asking okay? I'm also incredibly relieved that you are safe and sound, I don't know what I would do if something had happened to either one of you. You're my sister Mary and I don't want to lose you." Steve reached out and pulled Mary into his arms and she finally relaxed for the first time in days. She should've known that Steve and Danny would've taken care of her. "I have never seen you as a screw-up either, we've been through some tough stuff and people make mistakes. Plus you're doing pretty well for yourself; you've got a good job and a stable relationship both romantically and with your family."

"Thanks Steve."

"I'm always going to be here for you okay? You need anything don't hesitate to come to me and Danny okay?"

"Yeah I know and I love you both. I'll talk to Danny in the morning."

"Malasadas go a long way in appeasing one Daniel McGarrett-Williams." Both Steve and Mary whipped towards the doorway to see a very sleepy looking Danny leaning against the doorframe with a small smile.

"Got it, I'll get you all the malasadas you want Danno promise. I owe you a lot and I can't thank you enough for helping me. You're the best brother-in-law I could ever ask for. I'm so sorry too if I made you feel bad or anything." Mary sheepishly apologized feeling the weight of both their stares on her. Danny was silent for a moment before he nodded and motioned for her to come over to him.

"Eh it's okay I heard the whole thing and you're forgiven. Plus you were right in coming to me because as your thick headed brother over there mentioned earlier I am an amazing detective so it only makes sense." Mary laughed and leaned over giving Danny a tight hug with a kiss on the cheek.

"Still thank you." Danny nodded again and waved his hand in the air.

"Water under the bridge, now is that coffee I smell? Because I cannot sleep for the life of me and I could so go for a nice cup and maybe some pancakes, what about you Mary?" Steve sighed and shook his head.

"Pancakes sound delicious I'll even help." Both turned towards Steve with almost matching pleading looks on their faces.

"Do you want some bacon and eggs with your pancakes?" Steve asked knowing that he cannot win with Danny's pleading look, he didn't get it often but when he did it was powerful.

"Sounds perfect babe." Danny replied moving to grab everything they needed from the fridge, a victorious smile spread across his face.

Steve shook his head both at the fact that it was almost 1:30 in the morning and he was making breakfast for his husband and sister and at the emotional roller coaster ride they had been on the past couple of days. But they had made it through this mess and they would make it through the next one, no matter what it was.

_**Endnote: Phew, that was a long one that took FOREVER to write, but I hope that you guys enjoyed some drama after the lightness of the past couple of chapters. Like I said before thank you for continuing to read and support this story I'm so incredibly thankful. Let me know what you guys thought about this chapter or anything you'd like to see in the coming chapters. I hope you guys have a safe and Happy New Year! Until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: see chapter one, but I still own nothing.**

_**Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing the last chapter. I am so sorry for the delay in this chapter, but I had a hard time writing this chapter and of course there was the usual of having homework and going to class that took up a lot of time. Thank you to those that have stuck with me all this time, I really appreciate it. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and like always I apologize in advance for any and all errors. Enjoy!**_

Danny knew that birthdays were a big deal for kids, he had watched Rachel stress for months over Grace's first birthday, watched her go all out for each subsequent birthday now that she had Stan's money to foot the bill, and saw how happy Grace was each and every year. So Danny knew that they had to do something incredibly special for Nathan's fourth birthday, especially since it was Nathan's first birthday with the family.

Birthdays were a touchy thing with Steve, each year he would approach his birthday with a heavy heart. His birthdays also reminded him of the last birthday he had spent with his family and it was a hard day all around. Because of this painful baggage Steve had no problem skipping his birthday every year because it was better to skip it then to deal with the painful baggage that came with it, but that was before Danny had come storming into his life and fixed his damaged heart. Now that Steve had a family as his own he was determined to make each and every birthday a special affair. Nathan's fourth birthday was a monumental affair for the McGarrett-Williams family and Steve was determined to not only make it a great day for Nathan but for Danny and Grace as well.

When it came down to it, planning Nathan's birthday was quite simple. They would have a blowout on the beach behind their house with everyone that was important and Nathan would be showered with gifts from his extended ohana and Grace would receive a surprise during the party as well. It took a matter of days to get everything together and to let everyone know about the party and Steve knew that Nathan was going to love it.

"What should we get Nathan?" Danny asked one morning while Steve drove them to the office. He had been stressing over Nathan's gift for quite some time because he wanted the gift to be special and mean something. Steve looked over at Danny as he came to a stop at the light before HQ and smiled.

"Don't worry Danno; I have the perfect gift for Nathan and for Gracie." They had decided early on that they would also get a gift for Grace because they wanted to make her feel special and know that Danny and Steve loved her just as much as they loved Nathan.

"You're not going to tell me are you?" Steve smiled slyly glancing over at Danny as the light turned green leaving Danny to sigh and shake his head muttering about crazy SEALs.

"Seriously Danny, I've got this covered. You just worry about the party and I'll worry about the gift and don't worry they're going to love it I promise." Danny looked at Steve closely, debating internally if he should push the issue or let Steve have it. Steve just shook his head and smiled brightly at Danny, hoping to convey the most innocent look he could muster. He really wanted to do this by himself, he wanted to show Danny just how thoughtful Steve could be when it comes to their kids, wanted to show Danny that he can handle getting presents for the kids.

Danny wanted to question Steve further but he could read between the lines, hear what Steve wasn't saying so he let it drop. He knew that Steve felt like he needed to prove to not only Danny but himself that he could do something for his kids without Danny's help because Danny is always the one handling the gifts for the kids because he had more experience than Steve did buying presents for kids and Steve was the one that handled the outdoor activities like swimming, surfing with Grace, running around with Nathan and Jack because of Danny's knee. So Danny just nodded and threw his hands in the air. "Alright babe, I won't worry about it. I'm sure that the kids are going to love whatever you're planning." The smile that Steve shot Danny made his heart melt and as if it was possible Danny fell just a little bit more in love with Steve.

With each day leading up to Nathan's birthday Danny found it harder and harder not to snoop to see what Steve was planning and he caught himself beginning to search through the house and had to stop himself by thinking about Steve's face that day in the car and the hopeful look at the trust that Danny seemed to bestowing him by not demanding Steve tell him. He didn't want to ruin Steve's chance at showering their kids with gifts and he knew from experience that when it comes to birthday gifts, Steve has a knack of getting amazing gifts for those he loves. But that didn't mean that Danny wasn't having a hard time keeping out it.

Finally after two weeks of absolute torture Nathan's birthday had finally arrived and the little guy couldn't be more excited. Everyone had made sure that he knew just how special his birthday was and in turn the days leading up to his birthday he had made sure that they hadn't forgotten that he was turning four in days. Steve was over the moon watching Nathan get so excited about his birthday; it brought back happy memories of when his parents were still around. He knew that his parents were looking down and smiling at him and just how awesome his life had become.

Nathan's birthday started off with pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse per Nathan's request. He had managed to get up before Steve and promptly ran into their room flinging himself into their bed quietly exclaiming he wanted his mouse cakes. Danny looked over at Steve with one eye cracked open cursing Steve for rubbing off on their son and blaming him for everything. Steve happily pulled Nathan between him and Danny, where the two began to shower him with birthday tickles and kisses. Nathan squealed in delight and smile so brightly at them that both Steve and Danny weren't that upset about being woken early. They knew that Nathan probably hadn't been able to have a huge party for his birthday; his biological parents lived paycheck to paycheck, only able to afford the bare necessities for Nathan and since it was his first birthday with them, Steve and Danny wanted to make it extremely special.

Nathan finally complained that he was hungry so Steve decided to head down stairs with him, giving Danny the chance to wake up a bit more and a chance to get Grace up. Nathan went on and on as Steve started breakfast about how old he was. It made Steve laugh to see Nathan so excited about turning another year older and excited about the littlest things surrounding his birthday.

Once Danny and Grace joined them in the kitchen and they sat down to enjoy Nathan's birthday breakfast, the flurry activity began. Steve was in charge of getting all the food for the barbeque with Denny while Danny, Deb, and Kono set about setting up for the party while Chin and Malia hung out with the kids. All were out to make this day incredibly special for both Nathan and Grace because after everything that had happened they wanted the kids to have one special day with those that loved them.

Hours later the house was filled with people ranging from the team, Kamekona, Danny's parents, Grace's school friends, Nathan's friends from T-ball, and Mary and Chris. Both Nathan and Grace were sporting huge heartwarming smiles as they ran around with their friends playing on the beach and even getting to play in the water with some of the adults.

Steve watched the kids run and play from his vantage point at the grill and couldn't stop smiling. Hearing their giggles and squeals of delight made him chuckle to himself and wonder how on earth he had gotten so lucky. "It's nice to see them so happy." Danny came up next to Steve, his arm going around Steve's waist pulling him closer to Danny.

"I'm glad we could do this for them." Steve answered shooting a quick smile at Danny before flipping one of the burgers. "Food's almost ready, might want to call them in."

"Okay, we'll do presents after we eat and before cake." Steve nodded grabbing the plates in Danny's free hand and turning back to the grill.

Nathan could barely contain himself as he sat between Steve and Danny with Grace with all the gifts in front of him. He had never seen so many gifts just for him and he couldn't wait to see what toys he had gotten to play with. He and Grace took turns opening their presents and Steve and Danny were amazed at the extent their friends and family went to with gifts for the kids. Grace had gotten new clothes and a new bathing suit along with books and some softball gear. Nathan got new trucks to play with, his very own G.I. Joes to play with, sporting gear for T-ball and soccer, along with his own bathing suit. Steve slipped away when they reached the last two gifts to go grab the gifts he had stored in the garage. He knew that they were going to love his gifts.

"Where's Daddy Danno?" Grace asked after she and Nathan had opened their last gifts. Danny looked around and spotted Steve coming out of the garage.

"All three of you close your eyes!" Steve called after he caught Danny looking at him. "I said close your eyes Danno!" Steve chided seeing Danny's blue eyes staring at him, Danny replied by dramatically closing his eyes and waiting for further instructions from Steve. Deb saw what Steve was carrying and smiled, she couldn't believe that Steve had gone all out. "Okay, open your eyes." Steve replied after a few moments. Danny opened his eyes and his jaw fell open in shock, he couldn't believe what he was looking at.

"My very own surf board!" Grace exclaimed flying out of her seat and grabbing the board that Steve was holding for her. "Thank you daddy!" She threw her arms around Steve and squeezed him tightly.

"You're welcome, I got all of you your very own surf boards." Nathan sat next to Danno, worried that daddy's surprise might have broken him.

"Danno, did daddy break you?" Nathan innocently asked worry flooding his eyes wide eyes. Danny shook his head clearing the fog of stupor that had come over him and smiled down at Nathan.

"Yeah Nate, daddy broke me with his thoughtful gift." Steve beamed at Danny relieved that Danny wasn't angry.

"I got Nathan a boogey board so he could get used it and I thought that you would like a board of your own in case you wanted to learn." Danny got up and made his way over towards Steve with Nathan not hesitating a moment to wrap his arms tightly around Steve's waist.

"Thanks babe, I'm gonna need more lessons though." Steve ducked his head and smiled slyly at Danny.

"It would be my pleasure Danno, be my pleasure." Danny chuckled and shook his head, leave it to Steve to make surfing lessons sound so dirty.

"There are children around Steven, calm yourself. Seriously though, you are a thoughtful goof." Steve smiled and squeezed Danny once before pulling away and leaning down to show Nathan his boogey board.

"Daddy will you go out with me? I want to try out my board." Steve looked up at Danny who merely waved Steve on and leaned down to see Nathan's boogey board.

"Do you want to try your boogey board Nate?"

"But Daddy's going with Grace." Nathan watched Grace run into the water with her board with sadness. Danny watched Steve wade out with Grace before turning back towards Nathan.

"Well then I guess I'll just have to help you won't I?" Nathan's head whipped back towards Danny so fast Danny almost worried about he would hurt himself.

"Danno don't swim though." Nathan replied looking at Danny as if Danny was a criminal being interrogated. It made Danny chuckle at how much he resembled Steve in that moment.

"It's your birthday buddy, if you want me to I will." Nathan lit up and smiled throwing his arms around Danny's neck and hugging him tightly.

"Yeah Danno! Poppa Danno's gonna swim with me."

"That's great buddy, be careful though." Nathan nodded and grabbed Danny's hand pulling him towards the water leaving Danny to grab the board.

Steve smiled when he saw Danny getting in the water with Nathan; he knew it was only a matter of time before Danny was forced into the ocean. He watched Danny push Nathan on the board a few times before Grace was calling his name to watch her ride a small wave.

Deb watched with a smile spread across her face as Steve and Danny played with their kids in the water both sporting matching proud grins on their faces. She was so happy that she and Denny were here to watch their kids grow and mature.

It didn't take long for the kids to tire themselves out and for most of the guests to leave, leaving only the team and Danny's parents at the house. Both Nathan and Grace shuffled off to bed early after begging that Kono be the one to tuck them in. After the kids had been put to bed Steve brought out the beer and wine, they didn't need to worry about kids now so they were able to kick back and relax.

Deb came out of the house holding two matching gift bags and handed each one to Steve and Danny. "What's this mom?" Steve asked sitting up and grabbing the bag from her.

"The kids and I wanted to give you guys something as well." Steve and Danny looked at each other before they looked down at the bags. "Go on open them." Both nodded and reached into the bags pulling out what looked like scrapbooks.

"Oh wow." Danny murmured looking down at the scrapbook filled with pictures of the past couple of months. Steve sat speechless just flipping through the pictures smiling at the memories.

"Thank you mom." Steve finally spoke moments later, his eyes moist and a smile spread across his face. "Seriously thank you so much, this is amazing." Deb smiled and grabbed his hand giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah ma, thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I love it. You are seriously the best."

"It was all Gracie's idea; I just bought the stuff and helped a little bit." Steve smiled and made a mental note to thank Grace the next day before she headed to Rachel's for the weekend.

Danny leaned back resting his head against Steve's shoulder a blissful smile spread across his face. The day had been more than Danny could hope for and he was going to hold onto this amazing feeling for as long as he could.

Right now in this moment there was nothing that could bring Danny or Steve down.

_**Endnote: That was so cute! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter; I wanted to write a light hearted chapter before I ramp up the drama for the next few chapters. Don't hesitate to let me know what you thought and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: see chapter one, but you guys know that I do not own anything related to Five-0.**

_**Author's note: Like always a million thank you's for the reviews of the previous chapter, I appreciate you guys taking the time to read and review for this story. I apologize in advance for any and all grammatical errors you might find, but I hope that you enjoy this chapter.**_

**This chapter is dedicated to JediDaughter1 because she was the one that asked for this chapter, so I hope that I did your idea justice.**

It hadn't really hit any of them that Rachel would be leaving the island because she had decided to wait until after Grace had finished the school year before packing up and leaving. It was the best decision to make in this situation because it gave Grace time to fully understand what was going on and really get used to the idea that Rachel was leaving. But Grace hadn't really thought about her mom leaving, she didn't really know how she was going to deal with it because she was still here. Rachel was still right across the island and Grace could see her whenever she wanted.

But Grace was going to get a taste of what it would be like for Rachel not to be right across the island this week because Rachel was taking Charles to see Stan in Las Vegas for Stan's birthday. Both Steve and Danny were apprehensive and unsure about how this week was going to play out because it was the first time Grace would be truly separated from her. Steve elected to drive Rachel and Charles to the airport because Rachel's flight was early and Danny did not like having to get up that early, a trait that Nathan had started with as well.

Drop off was uneventful and Steve gave into the false hope that maybe everything was going to be okay. Maybe Grace was actually going to handle Rachel leaving better than any of them had thought. Danny, ever the skeptic, had agreed with Steve that maybe Grace would handle Rachel's departure well. Danny and Steve walked into work thinking that their week wouldn't be that hard, baring they didn't catch a mother of a case.

Grace spoke to Rachel every afternoon after she finished her homework while Deb was making dinner and even Deb thought that Grace was handling the situation like a person well beyond her years. But still Deb knew that Grace was going to suffer some feelings of abandonment the longer Rachel was gone. But still she acted much like she had the week before so the false hope was intensified.

They ended up getting called for a kidnapping the second day that Rachel was gone and Danny should've known in that moment that their false hope was about to blow back in their faces. But they had a job to do and he had to hope and pray that Grace and Nathan were okay.

They were working around the clock to the find a powerful CEO's teenage daughter, only pausing for catnaps and for Danny and Steve to check in with the kids and Chin to check up with Malia. They were eating on the run and suffering by sheer will power and caffeine when Danny got a phone call that was about to fray his nerves even more.

It was late in the morning on Thursday when Grace's school first trying calling Danny, but he was off with Chin chasing a lead so Steve was the one that actually received the call from the nurse at Scared Hearts Academy.

"McGarrett Williams." Steve answered looking at the crime scene photos for the millionth time.

"Hi Steve, it's Olivia the nurse at Scared Hearts."

"What's wrong? Is Grace feeling sick?"

"She had a meltdown in the middle of class today and has been hysterically crying for about twenty minutes. She's crying for her mom, but I understand that Mrs. Edwards is out of town and Grace just isn't calming down at all. I think it might be best if you come get her." Steve was already out of the office by the time that Olivia had begun explaining what was going on.

"Can you put Grace on the phone?" Steve heard Olivia calmly tell Grace that he was on the phone and Steve's heart dropped when he heard Grace loudly sobbing as she grabbed the phone. "Hey Gracie." Gracie sniffed and her loud cries quieted a little bit so Steve kept talking. "I'm on my way, I'll be there in less than five minutes, okay? I promise I won't be any longer. Do you think you can tell me what's wrong?"

"I miss mommy." Grace whimpered loudly sniffling again. "I want mommy." She started crying again and Steve flipped stepped on the gas pedal harder, the sirens already flashing. "Daddy, I just want mommy."

"I know baby, I know. I'm here okay? I'm walking in the door in two minutes." Steve quickly parked, illegally in front of the school leaving the sirens on to ensure that nobody went near the truck and rushed into the school quickly locking the truck and pocketing the keys as he rushed right into the office, where nobody stopped him from entering the nurse's office. "Gracie." Grace dropped the phone and flew into Steve's open arms hugging her tightly to his chest. "It's okay baby, I promise I'm gonna make it all better."

Olivia smiled softly at Steve and motioned for him to take the seat Grace was previously sitting in. Grace had finally calmed down a little bit resting her head against Steve's shoulder, not giving up on her tight grip. "That's it Gracie, I've got you. Why don't you rest your eyes for a little bit okay?" Grace nodded and closed her eyes. "What happened?"

"Her teacher says that Grace has been quieter than normal all week and that it was most likely because her mom was out of town. But today was different because she seemed withdrawn from her friends and when they were doing their math problems after recess Jane noticed she was crying in her seat. She went over to see what was wrong and when Grace told her she missed her mom. Jane tried comforting her, but Grace just began screaming that she wanted her mom. I brought her back here and tried getting her to calm down, I even tried reaching Mrs. Edwards to see if that might help but when I couldn't Grace just got even more upset. So Mrs. Nelson thought it to call you or Danny to see if that might help. I think she just needs her family right now, so if you could just sign this you can take Grace home for the rest of the day." Steve nodded quickly signing the form and grabbing Grace's backpack without jostling her.

Steve waited until he pulled into the driveway before trying to call Danny. Deb greeted him at the door with a worried look spread across her face and her face fell when she saw the tear tracks on Grace's face. Denny and Nathan had come in when they heard the truck pull up and Denny smiled softly at Steve, reaching out to pull Grace into his arms. "Want me to take her so you can call Danny?" Steve looked down at Grace and nodded, but when he went to transfer her into Denny's arms she whimpered and held on tighter. Steve tried again but gave up when Grace whimpered again. "Hey Nate, let's leave them be. Wanna play in the pool for a little bit?" Nathan looked at Steve a worried look on his face.

"Go on buddy, Grace is gonna be okay." Nathan nodded but went over and pulled on Steve's hand until he knelt down at his level.

"Love you Racie." Nathan pressed a sweet kiss against Grace's cheek. Steve smiled at Nathan and gave him a small hug.

"Go play with Poppa buddy, I'll come see you in a bit." Nathan nodded and raced off towards the backyard. Steve turned and heard Deb on the phone with Danny trying to calm him down without really knowing what was going on. Steve took the phone from Deb and explained that he had everything under control for the moment. He reassured Danny that Grace was fine for right now and that he should focus on the case, Grace would understand and be thankful that at least one of them could be there.

While Steve was talking Danny out of dropping everything and coming to Deb's to do nothing Deb had finally gotten a hold of Rachel with one of the numbers she left for them. "Grace baby, your mom's on the phone." Grace lifted her head from Steve's shoulder and squirmed until Steve set her down and ran over to Deb grabbing the phone from her.

"Mommy?" Grace asked as Deb ushered her into the media room so she could have some privacy.

"She's on the phone with Rachel right now Danny, there's not much else we can do right now. So please go with Chin and Kono and bring Hanna back safely, we'll be waiting at mom's for you okay? Please Danny, we both can't be here and I know that you are the best for this one. So just remember you have a family waiting for you and tell Kono and Chin to be safe as well. Love you too Danno." Steve hung up the phone and fell back against the sofa running a tired hand over his face.

"You're handling this exceptionally well considering the week you've had." Steve looked up at Deb as she handed him a glass of water and sat down on the couch a few seats down from him. "Don't beat yourself up over this, all of us, Rachel included thought she was going to be fine. Nobody knew this was coming and hopefully talking to Rachel will make her feel better. But seriously though, you are doing so well with this. I know that Danny's probably beating himself up because he can't be here, but I think you're the best one for this situation."

"Because I know what it feels like to actually have your parents leave you." Steve snapped gripping his glass so tight Deb was worried he'd shatter it. He was tired of people just assuming that because he lost his parents he knew how to handle it, but he had no clue how to handle the abandonment and lose.

"Because you are happen to control your emotions in intense situations. Danny would be losing his mind right now, but here you sit calm and collected already planning on how to fix it. You're a Navy SEAL Steven who is always thinking of all the possible ways to solve a situation." Deb calmly replied making Steve feel horrible for snapping at her.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, you didn't deserve it."

"It's okay, I know that Rachel and Danny think that you have a handle on losing your parents therefore you'll be able to walk Grace through this tough time, but I know you are just as lost as she is at some times. So like I told Grace, if you need to talk I'm here to listen."

"Thank you." Deb squeezed his hand as Grace emerged from the media room much better than she was when she went in. "Hey Gracie."

"Mom wants to talk to you daddy." Grace held out the phone for Steve and climbed onto the couch letting Deb wrap her arms around her.

"Hi Rachel." Steve greeted shooting Grace a bright smile and walking into the kitchen.

"I'm so sorry about this Steve, I thought she was going to be fine. I'm trying to find a flight home today, but it's not easy."

"Rachel, she's fine now. We knew that this was going to be hard. You do not need to come home early, stay with Stan for his birthday. Grace would feel horrible if she knew she was the reason that you came home early."

"I just wish I was there for her. I didn't think it would be this hard to be away from her when she needs me."

"I know and it's hard for me to watch her go through this knowing that there isn't a thing Danny or I can do to make it better, but we'll figure it out we always do. You need to focus on staying calm because stress is not good for you or the baby. Let Danny and I worry about this and when you get back you can take Grace for the week, sound good?"

"Thank you Steve. I'm so thankful that you and Danny are there for my baby girl in her time of need."

"We'd do anything for Grace and you Rachel. Wish Stan a happy birthday from me and Danny and Grace will call you later on today okay?"

"I will Steve, thank you again." Steve hung up the phone and leaned against the counter letting his hand hang. He had no idea how on earth they were going to make it through Rachel actually leaving the island if Grace had only made it four days before having an epic meltdown. Steve let his mind wander for a few moments before Danny texted him the address where they thought Hanna was being held and made his way back into the living room where Grace was listening to Deb tell her a story as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Hey Gracie." Grace looked up at Steve and smiled. "Are you feeling better now that you've talked to your mom?" Grace nodded moving so she could rest against Steve.

"I'm tired." She spoke quietly yawning as she did.

"I bet, listen do you think you'll be okay here for a little bit? I need to go help Danno catch some bad guys." Grace thought about it for a moment before she nodded and gave Steve a quick hug. "Alright I'm gonna go help Danno while you hang out here with Nonna and Poppa. Do not hesitate to call me or Danno if you need us okay?"

"Okay Daddy, I love you."

"Love you too baby."

"Tell Danno I love him too." Steve nodded and kissed her forehead giving one last look at Deb quickly making his way out of the house and towards his truck before he changed his mind. He would love nothing more than to be able to stay with his kids and spend the day with them, but he needs to make sure that he can bring Hanna back home to her parents.

Danny was happy beyond belief to see Steve pull up, he didn't feel right doing this bust without Steve. "Grace okay?" Danny asked handing Steve his vest.

"Yeah she's sleeping at mom's, she talked to Rachel so she's feeling better now. What's the deal here?" Danny watched Steve fix his vest while Chin gave him the full run down of the bust and Danny saw Steve's face close off and he actually felt bad for the guy they were about to surprise because he had one pissed off SEAL looking for anyway to release his helplessness and anger over the situation this morning.

The bust went smoothly minus Steve's unnecessary force against one of their scumbags, who was now complaining of a concussion. And Danny really wanted to rant at Steve about how not to handle criminals during a bust, but he had felt the same way this morning so he knew that Steve was merely trying to control at least one thing and needed to get rid of the anger that came along with that loss of control. So, for once, Danny kept his mouth shut and let Steve feel a little bit better.

Thankfully Kono and HPD were feeling nice today because they took over the booking of their suspects and all the wrap up work so that Steve and Danny could take off. Steve could see that Danny was itching to go see Grace and check on her with his own two eyes so he tossed Chin the keys to the truck and drove Danny back to Deb's.

"Thank you." Danny glanced over at Steve a thankful smile spread across his tired face.

"For what?"

"Being there for Grace this morning, I know that you would do anything for her but thank you all the same."

"I would do it all over again Danny, even feeling so out of control and helpless. It broke my heart this morning to see her so upset and not having any idea on how to fix it. What are we going to do when Rachel actually moves?"

"I don't know babe, I really don't. I guess we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get to it. But still I bet you were great this morning, you always have a way with calming the kids down when they're upset so I'm very glad that you were there for her this morning when Rachel or I couldn't be. Have you gotten a hold of Rachel at all?"

"Yeah Gracie talked to her for a good half hour this morning when we got to mom's and Rachel was upset when I talked to her. She feels guilty and wished that she could be here for Grace. I think it's hitting Rachel just as hard as Grace is." Danny nodded having a feeling that Rachel would be just as upset as Grace.

"Rachel hasn't been away from Grace for longer than two days since the day she was born. It's tough adjusting to it but it gets easier, especially when you see how happy she is. Plus it makes the time you did see her that much better." Steve pulled off the road quickly as Danny's words hit him. He had almost forgotten that Danny had been through this. He had gone days without seeing Grace and that thought about killed him. "Its okay babe, it's a different situation this time because I was close to Grace when I moved out so Rachel has it way worse."

"Still Danny, I know I've said how much it sucked that you were separated from Grace and I'm sorry that you had to go through with this. I don't know how on earth you managed this, but I'm glad you have. You're going to be the pillar of strength throughout this."

"About time the roles were reversed babe, I don't want you getting tired of always having to hold me up."

"I'd never get tired of you Danno, never." Danny smiled and leaned over giving Steve a quick kiss.

"Alright let's go see our kids because I want to hug them both, eat some good food and sleep for days."

"Sounds good Danno, sounds good." Steve replied grabbing Danny's hand as he pulled back onto the road continuing their journey to Deb's house. He couldn't believe that he was still functioning because they were going on four days of little to none sleep and he could feel the adrenaline fading from his system and exhaustion was tickling the back of his eyes threatening to take over the rest of his body.

Deb yet again greeted Steve and Danny at the door smiling warmly at their overly tired faces. Grace and Nathan raced out from the house when they heard the familiar purr of the Camaro and threw themselves into Steve and Danny's arms. Steve smiled as Nathan launched himself into Steve's arms so excited to see him for more than a few minutes. Grace wrapped her arms and legs tightly around Danny so happy to finally see her father after her emotional day.

"Hey Monkey, are you feeling better?"

"Yeah Danno, I'm feeling way better now. I missed you." Grace whispered so that only Danny would hear her, while she had missed her mother terribly she had also missed her Danno and Daddy. She was relieved to finally get to see Danny and didn't want to let him go just yet.

"I missed you so much too Monkey. I promise that we're gonna get through this. I'm always here if you want to talk." Grace nodded and pulled back a little bit giving Danny a big kiss on the cheek.

"Love you Danno."

"Danno loves you too Gracie." Steve and Deb smiled sweetly at the exchange between Grace and Danny. Steve knew that once Grace had been able to actually talk and see Danny she would feel marginally better.

Now that their monster of a case was over and they were finally back with their family, Steve knew that they would they were going to get through this.

_**Endnote: So, what's the verdict? I hope you guys liked the little bit of drama and tension this brought into the story. Don't hesitate to let me know what you thought about this chapter and until next time ~thatredheadgirl~ **_


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: see chapter one, but I still own nothing.**

_**Author's Note: I am so sorry for the delay in this chapter, I can't believe that I let life completely take over. But thank you so much for reading and reviewing the last chapter, I love that you guys are enjoying this story so much. I haven't seen much of this season because of school, so no worries about potential spoilers. I hope you guys enjoy this lighter chapter and yet again I apologize not only for the delay in this chapter, but any and all grammatical errors.**_

Things calmed down a little bit after Nathan's birthday and it was a nice change for Danny and Steve. Rachel was back on the island which helped Grace out immensely and Danny would even venture to guess that Rachel and Stan were rethinking their impending move. Nathan was still developing and growing into such a great and smart little kid and Steve was sure that he was going to be even smarter than he and Danny, a fact that both of them hope is right. Danny's parents had made their own circle of friends that helped them acclimate to the island way of life. Even the criminals on the island were calming down a bit, giving the team more time to spend doing things they enjoy.

It was a nice change of pace to have everyone settled and happy with no threat of danger on the horizon. For the first time since he returned home Steve allowed himself the chance to actually think about the future he was going to have with Danny. He watched Chin gear up for the birth of his and Malia's first child and couldn't help but feel a spark within him.

Before Steve met Danny and Grace, he was convinced that he wasn't going to have kids. Being a SEAL didn't allow him the time to meet a woman, settle down and have kids because he was too busy traveling all over the world. But then he met Danny, well okay first he met the barrel of Danny's police issued gun and his life changed because with came Grace, who Steve would admit to falling in love with immediately. Grace sparked Steve's fatherly instincts and he was able to see that he was in fact a good father (Danny would argue Steve was a great father, but Steve thought he was still learning) so they were able to add to their family with Nathan, whom Steve loved with his entire being much like he did Grace. Plus Steve could tell that Danny wanted a big family, much like his own growing up and Steve wanted to give Danny everything he possibly could. So Steve started planning the best possible way to bring up the conversation, because like every other major decision they had to discuss every single possible scenario before they even decided they were making a move.

Danny knew something was up the moment that Steve walked into the office after making a coffee run, he could see the methodical look in Steve's eye and for a moment, a fleeting moment, and Danny worried about what could possibly be going on in Steve's head. But they weren't bogged down with a major case, Grace was with Rachel on the big island visiting Stan, and Nathan was safe and sound at his parent's house so unless a certain blood thirsty Japanese man was back on the island looking for Steve Danny couldn't think about what Steve could be planning.

"Here's your coffee Danno, made just the way you like it with extra cream and sugar."

"Thanks babe." Danny replied trying to play it coy, try to see if he could draw Steve's secret plan out.

"Mom called while I was out, asked if she could take Nathan to their friend's house tonight something about Nathan meeting some new kids." Danny tilted his head to the side, it wasn't completely odd for Deb to call Steve first but he found it awfully suspicious because of the timing. "So I was thinking that maybe we could go out and have dinner just the two us, like a date night." It all made sense now Steve wanted to have a date night with Danny, considering it had been too long since the last time they were able to catch a free night alone.

"Sounds like a great idea babe, have any place in mind?"

"Already went ahead and made reservations at our favorite steak house." Danny smiled brightly at the idea of a night out with Steve. "I'll even dress up for you." Danny's eyes slowly slid down Steve's polo and cargo clothed body imagining him dressed up and smiled slyly.

"You had me at date night babe." Steve smiled brightly squeezing Danny's shoulder before making his way into his own office. "Plus you know I can't resist when you dress up for me." Danny smiled as Steve's loud laugh reached his ears, today was going to be a good day because he had something to look forward to.

By the end of the day Danny could tell that Steve was slowly going out of his mind, they had been stuck inside on a gorgeous Hawaiian day filling out paperwork that had been mounting for their desks for weeks. He glanced down at the finished forms on his desk and smiled, they had done enough work for the day. Slowly pushing away from the desk to allow his tired and sore muscles time to stretch as he stood and made his way out of his office, they had all deserved the right to knock off early.

Kono didn't even wait for Danny to enter her office before she was up from her chair and flying out of her office. "See you tomorrow Danny!" She exclaimed giving him a fleeting kiss on the cheek as she sped from the office, she wasn't going to waste anymore time.

"Alright babe, let's go before you decide that you need to blow something up." Steve shot Danny a relieved smile as he quickly stood up and stretched this underused muscles. "Now you can get a swim in before dinner."

"You're the best Danny, you know that?" Danny shot Steve a blindly smile and wrapped his arm around his waist leading him out of the office.

"So I've been told from time to time, but that doesn't mean that I don't mind hearing it again." Steve shook his head squeezing Danny around the shoulder as they walked out of the office and into the bright Hawaiian sunlight, Steve now had high hopes about their dinner tonight.

True to his word, Steve had more than enough time to get a quick swim in before he had to get ready for dinner with Danny. The nerves didn't hit until Steve was pulling his sports jacket on and waiting for Danny to finish getting ready. The thoughts began creeping in his head making Steve almost freeze in fear, what if Danny didn't want to have more kids? What if Danny thought Steve was crazy for wanting to add to their family? The 'what if's didn't stop going even as Danny walked out of the bathroom looking as if he had just stepped off the pages of GQ.

"Looking good there sailor." Steve shook the negative thoughts from his head and smiled at Danny, finally taking the chance to look his partner over thoroughly.

"Damn Danny, you look amazing." Danny wasn't going to lie, hearing such sweet things coming out of Steve's mouth made Danny's heart pound a little bit faster and a blush creep up his face. He looked down at his simple suit jacket and pants with his white button up and shrugged, he looked like he usually did at work with the addition of a jacket. Steve sensed Danny's inner thoughts and walked over to Danny running his hands under Danny's jacket, pressing his warm palms against Danny's back to pull Danny flush against his body.

"I'm beginning to like date night babe." Danny joked his lips inches from Steve's so he could feel Steve's breathy chuckle against his lips before Steve quickly kissed him.

"It is one of my favorite nights, you ready to go?" Danny nodded pulling Steve down for another kiss making Steve lose himself in the feeling of Danny's lips against his for a moment. "Come on we have reservations."

"Ooh, you made reservations? What, pray tell, is the special occasion?"

"Just wanted to spoil you for a night Danno." Danny eyed him curiously not believing anything that was coming out of his mouth, but he motioned for Steve to lead the way. Steve grabbed Danny's hand as they made their way through the eerily quiet house and to the Camaro. As they drove through the streets the car bathed in the setting sun, Danny closed his eyes and soaked up the last few rays of the sun. He would never admit it out loud but moments like these were some of moments that he loved. He loved to just be in the moment with Steve not having a crime scene to rush to, no emergencies to rush off to, just Steve and Danny. "We're here." Steve spoke softly shaking Danny from his dozing. Danny loosely smiled up at Steve as he held open Danny's door for him. Danny looked up at the restaurant and beamed at Steve, he had mentioned wanting to try the restaurant when they were on their way to question a possible witness weeks ago.

"I can't believe you remembered." Steve chuckled at the look of absolute wonder on Danny's face and squeezed his hand.

"Contrary to popular belief Danny, I do listen to you from time to time."

"Key phrase being from time to time, don't try and make me believe that you hear everything I say."

Steve shrugged his shoulders and grinned at Danny as Danny grabbed the door to the restaurant for them, in a 'what can I say' motion. "You say a lot Danny." Danny's mouth fell open in faux shock as he let the door Steve's backside lightly, making Steve chuckle as he walked up to the hostess who was smiling brightly at them.

"Hi, welcome to Morton's Steak House."

"Hi, we have a reservation under McGarrett-Williams." She briefly glanced down and smiled already grabbing their menus.

"If you would follow me." Danny moved first with Steve right behind him, a hand pressed against the small of his back. Danny leaned into the touch, enjoying Steve being open with his touches and affections. While those on the island knew about them, they made it a rule not to flash PDA while they were working so it was a nice change to be able to touch each other without drawing unnecessary attention. "Here you go, your server Lila will be with you momentarily."

"Thank you." Both replied as they settled in their chairs each picking up their menus. They were quiet as they read over the menu and when their waitress finally arrived Steve went ahead and ordered their wine for them. Danny was surprised that Steve was going all out for them tonight, but he said nothing as he ordered his salad and steak.

"So this is nice and all, but why don't you just go ahead and spill whatever you have stewing in that attractively scary head of yours." Danny spoke bluntly taking a generous sip of his wine. Steve sighed and chuckled at Danny being able to read him so well as he too took a sip of his wine.

"Why is that you think I have to be planning something to take you out?" Steve shot back, deciding that drawing it out for a little while could prove to be fun.

"It was a hunch that I decided to run with and I'm also a finely trained and talented detective who happens to know you babe, that's why."

"That you do babe that you do. I've just been doing some thinking that's all about Chin and Malia."

"They're going to make great parents; I can't wait to meet that little one." Danny gushed smiling at the thought of his close friend finally having a child of his own.

"Yeah, I'm incredibly happy for them. Do you think about having more kids?" Danny paused with his glass at his lips momentarily stunned at the direction in which the conversation went.

"So that's what's been going on in your head all this time, huh? I'm assuming since you brought up the conversation you're leaning towards having more kids, am I right?" Steve shrugged feeling the weight of Danny's gaze on him; it was one thing to think it but something completely different to actually give a voice to the thoughts.

"Yeah Danny, I know how much you love your siblings and how much you enjoy having a big family. Plus I know what it was like growing up with just one sibling and Grace is growing up, she's going to want to do things with her friends soon and I think that both of them would enjoy more siblings. You see how much Grace loves Charlie, don't you think she'd love having a little sister?" Steve fired off feeling that the sooner he got it all out the better.

"Babe, breathe. I'm not going to lie and say that I haven't thought about adding more rugrats to our bunch. I wonder what a kid with your genes would look like and babe they'd be beautiful. I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but you have to think about our jobs we had this conversation before we adopted Nathan and we have to think about it again."

"Danny, I gave up being a SEAL for my family, I can take time off to spend time with my kids. I'd love to spend time with kids and I just don't want to wake up and wonder 'what if'. I feel that we haven't even gotten started on our family and I want to at least explore our options. I'm not even saying we need to find a surrogate or something like that, I'm open to even looking into adoption again. There are plenty of kids out there that could use a loving home and we could be that loving home." Danny reached out and squeezed Steve's hand, he knew how hard it was for Steve to be open and honest with him when it came to their family and his feelings. He knew that Steve was struggling to put his thoughts into words.

"Wow babe, you've been thinking about this a lot haven't you?"

"Yeah, I think it's worth looking into don't you?"

"Yeah babe, I do. I think that you're right we should at least look into it. But where would we even put another kid? We have just enough room for us right now, could you even imagine trying to put Nathan and Grace in the same room or Nathan and the baby in the same room?"

"Ya know my dad at plans drawn up to add onto the house since we own the land next to us, and we could cut down the front lawn too." Danny saw the light of happiness in Steve's eye as he talked about the addition he was thinking about putting on the house and it made Danny's heart constrict with how much love Steve had to give.

Lila came and set their food down on the table checking to make sure their wine was okay and that they were all set before she left them to their conversation. Danny let Steve's words soak in while he was enjoying his perfectly cooked steak. He knew that Steve was right, he had always wanted a big family and if his marriage hadn't of fallen apart he wonders if Rachel and he would have had more kids, but the fact that Steve actually wanted more kids made Danny finally give in to those fantasies.

Once they had finished their meal and they were waiting for their dessert, Danny grabbed both of Steve's hands and took a deep breath. "Alright babe, let's do this. Let's call Chris and see what our options are and how we can go about going the surrogate route. I think it's time we expanded our family." Steve beamed at Danny leaning forward in his seat and kissing Danny quickly and sweetly making Danny chuckle as Steve pulled away.

Steve couldn't believe that they were actually going to do it, they were actually going to see what their options were. He knew it wasn't going to be an easy decision that would take time, but he was happy that they were going to expand their family. He was ready to take this next step with Danny.

_**Endnote: So what it worth the wait? Let me know what you guys thought and the next chapter won't be up for another two-ish weeks, unless I get some free time before finals to post it. I promise the next couple of chapters are going to bring some drama back into the story, so until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: see chapter one, but I still don't own anything but the plot and some of that still belongs to CBS. And oh yeah I'm not making any money off of this.**

_**Author's Note: Hey guys, I am so sorry for the delay in this chapter, but the end of the quarter is always the most stressful and time consuming. But have no fear I am on spring break so I'll have more time to try and post more of this story. Thank you again for reading and reviewing the last chapter I appreciate your support more than you know. I apologize in advance for any and all grammatical errors. **_

_**Enjoy!**_

They were in the middle of a case when the envelope landed on Steve's desk. Steve pushed it aside thinking it was simply a new catalog or some other piece of junk mail as he was sorting through the crime scene photos trying to find anything that would help them catch the SOB responsible. It wasn't until days later when Steve was finally back in his office to do paperwork that the blank envelope caught his attention. He knew what the envelope meant and with a slight tremor in his hand he picked it up steeling himself for whatever might be inside.

He wasn't prepared to see him and Danny, with their kids smiling back at him. He flipped through the photos and his stomach dropped with each photo. The dread and fear washed over him in such a strong wave he had to stop and actually tell himself to breathe. He glanced down and saw the forgotten note that must have fallen out of the envelope and he immediately recognized the handwriting.

"Your father would be proud." Steve sank to his knees the note clutched in his hand feeling as like not only had the air been kicked from his lungs but that the ground had fallen beneath him. For some time he had almost forgotten about the psycho that was out to get him and anyone he loved, but in this moment it all came washing over him and he felt the anxiety taking over his life. He tried to tell himself to breathe, forcing air in and out of his lungs, as he tried to calm down. He was trying and failing to get himself together because coming after Steve was one thing, but coming after his family was something that he never had to deal with this type of fear and all he knew is that he had to tell Danny and he had to tell him now.

It took Steve far longer than he was ever going to admit for him to pick himself up off the floor and make his way the short distance over to Danny's office. Danny was blissfully unaware of Steve's current panic attack as he worked his way through the stack of paperwork that had accumulated throughout the past couple of crazy weeks.

"Danny." Steve barely managed to say with a controlled voice, to grab the detective's attention. He knew he was going to lose it soon, he could tell that the slight tremor that started in his hand was moving throughout his whole body. Danny looked up with a bright smile on his face that immediately fell into a deep frown when he saw Steve standing in front of him.

"Steve? What's wrong?" Steve tried and failed to open his mouth, tried to make his voice work but the fear was too much for him to handle. Danny flew up from his desk and made his way over to Steve, reaching him just as Steve's death grip on the envelope gave way and Steve almost dropped it. Danny picked up the envelope and fell back against his desk as he saw the happy picture of them playing at the park just last weekend. He saw the note and his eyes hardened at the words staring back at him. "That son of a bitch." Danny quietly grit through his teeth gripping the pictures and note tightly. Danny's anger shook Steve from his momentary fear and Danny watched Steve's spine straighten out and the scary glint in his eyes actually relieved Danny.

"He's not coming near us Danny. Coming after me is one thing, one thing that I can handle because I can protect myself. But coming after my family, that's another thing entirely, he's already done enough damage to my family. This is ends now Danny, I won't put you through this anymore." Danny reached out gripping Steve's bicep tightly making Steve's eyes snap to his.

"Babe." He whispered honestly just needing his Steve at the moment. Steve immediately pulled Danny into his arms, letting Danny tuck himself into Steve's embrace.

"I promise Danny, I'm taking Wo Fat down this time. He's done hurting us." Steve whispered rubbing his hand lightly up and down Danny's back. Danny gave into the full body tremors wrecking through his body and Steve just held on tighter.

"We have to tell ma and pop." Steve sighed and dropped his head to Danny's shoulder.

"Not right now, I don't want to scare them unless we have to, let's give this a couple of days to see what Wo Fat's next move is. I'll see if any of my old SEAL buddies are working in private security these days and have them look after them for the time being okay?" Danny didn't like the idea of his parents not knowing that someone was going to be potentially following them around. "Just a few days Danny, I want to make sure I know what we're dealing with before I tell them." Danny gave in and nodded.

"I think I need to be with them, I think I'll feel better if we're with them."

"Yeah Danno, I think we can knock off early today." Danny sighed, not moving out of Steve's arms for a few moments. "It's going to be okay Danno, I promise. That bastard's not touching you or the kids."

"I know babe, but he's not going to touch you either. I'll kill him myself before he so much as lays a hand on you." Steve had to smile softly at the steely determination in Danny's eyes and the anger that seeped into his tone. He sometimes forgot that he wasn't alone in this anymore; he and Danny were in this together.

"Let's go see our kids." Danny nodded and moved himself out of Steve's arms so that they could power everything down before they left for the day. Steve was on high alert throughout the day, his mind already formulating the plan to finally put this whole mess behind them.

The next couple of days were tense for both Steve and Danny; it was like they were both holding their breath waiting for the other shoe to drop. Danny knew that Steve wasn't sleeping, choosing instead of almost keep watch over his own house to make sure that Wo Fat wasn't going to come storming in through the front door. Danny hugged both his kids and his parents extra tight every time they had to head into HQ just so that he had a reminder that they were in fact okay. Deb and Denny still hadn't figured out that there were two guys stationed at a house right across the street watching over them and the kids. It made Danny sick to his stomach keeping such important information from his parents but he knew that it was for the best, there was no need to worry them when not even Steve and Danny knew what was going to happen next.

But at the end of the day it was probably for the best because Danny knew that his parents would worry themselves sick over knowing that some deranged guy was out to hurt Steve. They would worry about the kids and Steve and Danny themselves. His mother would overanalyze it and his dad would probably get really quiet and Steve would then blame himself for bringing this onto his parents. So Danny was content of the time being to keep his mouth shut, plus he knew that Steve was working on a plan to finally put this whole mess behind them.

This time Steve was ready when the envelope came, he immediately ripped it open ready to see more pictures of his family, he barely flattered when he saw Denny out with Nathan getting shaved ice, with Deb and Grace sitting not fair from them. He was only momentarily relieved that none of the pictures showed either of the houses, but he knew that Wo Fat knew where he lived. Steve didn't even flinch at the note that came along with the pictures. "Did you hug your family and tell them you loved them this morning?" Steve balled his fists and took a deep steadying breath. Without a moment of hesitation he pulled his phone out of his pocket and called the one person he knew would have an idea of where he could find Wo Fat. If he could get a lock on where the sick bastard was he hopefully wouldn't have to go even involve Danny's parents because the less people he brought into this weird almost deadly thing the better.

Steve slipped out of the office, leaving Danny an almost cryptic message about where he was going and headed out. He pulled up to the open field next to Joe's truck and quietly exited the car making his way over towards Joe. "I have some info about Wo Fat's whereabouts, but are you sure you want to take him on alone?" Steve shook his head quietly laughing with a malicious sneer on his face.

"That man came after my family Joe; I'm done playing games with this asshole." Joe nodded a grim look on his face, but he knew that when it came to the kids or Danny, nothing would stop Steve from protecting them.

"He's staying in Japan at a swanky hotel at that address. Just let me know when you leave and I'll make sure that you have no problems with the local authorities. But I would suggest bringing Wo Fat back here so he can finally stand trial for all his crimes." Steve took the paper from Joe's hand and gave Joe a look that said he didn't plan on bringing Wo Fat back alive.

"I'll make sure that I follow the law to the utmost extent." Steve nodded raising his hand in thanks and walked back towards his truck, already pulling out his phone and making a few calls, he had a few favors to cash in.

When Steve finally did get back to HQ many hours later Danny watched him stalk through the front doors and head towards his office. He gave him a few minutes alone before he was up and heading into Steve's office.

"Hey."

"Hi." Steve replied briefly looking up from the computer where it looked like he was booking a flight to Japan.

"Why are you looking for flights to Japan?" Steve sighed an pushed away from the desk a little bit, giving both him and Danny a moment.

"I'm going after Wo Fat Danny; I'm finally going to end this sick game."

_**Endnote: So? How do you guys feel about a wee little cliffhanger for this chapter? Plus this will tie the story in with the actual episodes of season 2. Like always let me know what you guys think, and I'll be posting the next chapter soon. Until next time ~thatredheadgirl~**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: still own nothing.**

_**Author's Note: Hey guys! First, thank you to everyone that read and reviewed the last chapter. You're love and support means the world to me. Second, I am so unbelievably sorry for the delay with this chapter but school and work get in the way of being able to write. I apologize like always for any and all grammatical errors that may lie in this chapter, try as I might I cannot catch them all.**_

_**I hope you guys enjoy!**_

"I'm going after Wo Fat Danny; I'm finally going to end this sick game." Danny sighed and slowly leaned back against Steve's desk. He wasn't surprised at what was coming out of Steve's mouth, but he saw the flights on the screen and he knew that he was actually going through with it this time.

"I'm coming with you." Danny announced making Steve smile and shake his head. He knew that Danny was going to say that, he knew that Danny would want to come with him. It wasn't just Steve's family that was targeted this time, it was Danny's too. But still Steve wasn't about to involve Danny in this fight.

"No you're not Danny."

"The hell I am Steven! That son of a bitch attacked my family too in case you didn't know. So why do you get to be the one that kills him, huh? Why is this just your fight?" Danny demanded locking his fiery blue eyes with Steve's. Steve reached out smoothing the furrow between Danny's eyes with his thumb.

"I can't take you with me Danny. Wo Fat will do anything to kill me and I can't take you down with me. I need you to stay here so that in the event that something happens to me, you'll be able to take care of the kids. Danny I'm doing this to protect you, not to belittle you. You have to understand how hard it is for me to not take my backup with me." Steve leaned forward resting his forehead against Danny's, hoping that he understood. "Wo Fat started this with me and I'm going to finish it, but I need to know that you support me on this. Please Danny." Danny sighed and reached out interlocking his hands with Steve's the silence ringing loudly in his ears. Every fiber of his being was telling him to go with Steve, Wo Fat had come after his family so it was only natural that Danny needed to go with Steve. Yet Steve's reasoning made sense to Danny, one of them did need to stay here just in case.

"I can't lose you babe." Danny finally whispered bringing his hand up to rub at Steve's neck. Steve sighed and pulled Danny even closer to him with a hand on his lower back.

"I know Danny, I know. I can't lose you either. I promise I'll do whatever I need to do to come back to you."

"Can't you take one of your former SEAL buddies with you? I don't like the idea of you going in completely alone." Steve nodded and lightly kissed Danny's forehead, he knew how hard it was for Danny to let him go. It was killing Steve just as much to leave Danny behind.

"I was able to wrangle up two of my former teammates, who are more than willing to help me protect my family."

"I guess that makes me feel a little bit better although I still think I should be going with you."

"Danny." Steve groaned not in the mood to deal with Danny's guilt trips.

"I'm just saying babe, I'm just saying. When are you leaving?"

"Two days." Danny nodded his fingers fiddling with the collar of Steve's polo shirt.

"What are we going to tell my parents?" Steve sighed and looked over Danny's shoulder towards his empty and dark office trying to come up with an answer.

"I don't want to alarm them but I don't want to blatantly lie to them. They need to know that there's a chance that I won't be coming back. Can we wait to tell them? At least until tomorrow?"

"Yeah I guess waiting is the best idea gives us time to figure out what we're going to say. I don't want to tell them the whole truth; they don't need that fear Steve. It's bad enough that I'm going to worry sick about you; they don't need to worry about you too." Steve could sense that Danny was already worrying about him, already playing out all the scenarios that could happen while he was off chasing down Wo Fat.

"I promise Danny, I'll do whatever it takes to come back."

"I know babe, I know but I'm still gonna worry."

"And I love you for it." Danny smiled and chuckled leaning his forehead against Steve's gripping his waist. He just wanted to hold onto this moment because who knows how long it would be until he and Steve had a moment like this.

"How about we knock off early and go spend some time with the family?" Danny offered in sudden need to be surrounded by his family. Steve nodded and reluctantly pulled away.

"Give me ten minutes and we can go." Danny nodded and slowly made his way back to his office to shut everything down. He couldn't get his mind to shut off and it kept playing

Deb could tell that something was wrong with the boys the moment they walked in the door. She could see the tense line of Steve's shoulders and jaw as he scanned the house only relaxing slightly when he saw Nathan and Grace out in the backyard with Denny. Danny too was scanning the house but his eyes locked on Steve as he made his way towards Deb, kissing her temple as he made his way into the backyard.

"Everyone okay Danny?" Deb asked pouring Danny a glass of iced tea as he watched Steve play with the kids.

"No but it will be." Danny replied flashing a winning smile at Deb, hoping that it would allay her worries for a little bit. He needed more time to figure out what he was going to tell them about why Steve was suddenly leaving. This was probably the only time that Danny wished that Steve was still in the reserves because it would be so much easier to blame this on the Navy then actually telling his parents the truth. Deb watched Danny for a few moments and shook her head; he would tell her what was going on when the moment was right. Gently patting Danny's arm Deb stood up and left Danny alone on the patio as she went in to start dinner.

Steve turned and caught Danny watching him. He could see the wheels turning behind Danny's stormy blue eyes and it made Steve's heart clench and his stomach drop. He hated putting Danny through this because he knew the uncertainty Danny was going through. They had been partners long enough for Steve to know exactly what was going through Danny's head at any given moment. But knowing the anguish that Steve was undoubtedly putting him through was not enough to make Steve rethink his decision. It was safer for Danny to be here, just in case Wo Fat sent another Victor Hesse after the kids or even worse Danny himself. He knew that Danny would do whatever it took to keep both him and the kids safe, plus Danny would have Chin, Kono, and even Joe there to make sure that nothing happened while Steve was away. Hopefully this whole mess will be behind them for good and they can finally move on with their lives.

Steve knew that telling Chin and Kono about his mission would be much easier than telling Deb and Denny for the pure and simple reason that Chin and Kono knew what Wo Fat was capable of. They had seen the way he in which Wo Fat had treated Steve during the stint in North Korea, Chin had been held captive by Victor Hesse, and they had seen the photos from when Wo Fat killed Steve's father so they knew what Wo Fat was capable of. But that didn't mean that Steve wasn't nervous about telling them, he wasn't sure that they would agree with his plan. He thought they might be even harder to convince then Danny was, but still Steve had to clue his team in on what was going to happen.

"Did you call them?" Danny asked pulling Steve from his musings to the ocean. Steve turned and nodded his phone still clutched in his hand; he absently pressed the button bringing the black screen to life and couldn't help but smile at the happy smiling faces of Danny and the kids that were staring back at him. "Are you sure about all of this?" Danny asked for the first time since Steve had broken the news about his plan. Steve closed his eyes and thought about it. Was he sure about going off to Japan? Was he ready to risk his life to protect his family? The answer to both was a hard and clear yes. He was prepared to do anything to protect his family.

"Yes."

"Okay." Danny replied standing next to Steve leaning his head against Steve's shoulder. They stayed frozen like that until Kono and Chin arrived and even then it took Steve some time to make his voice work.

Chin and Kono, to Steve's surprise, were supportive about the plan. While Chin wasn't entirely sold on Steve heading off to chase Wo Fat alone, he knew that Steve needed to do it, that Steve needed to be the one that brought Wo Fat down. He was the first to offer his support and services in any shape they may be needed. Steve was relieved, he had always thought of Chin as his best friend, an older brother of sorts.

"It's about time you killed that wannabe Bond movie villain." Kono added earning a chuckle from Chin and Danny. Steve shook his head and shot Kono a relieved smile, leave it to her to break the tension in the room.

"But are you sure that you don't want us to come with you? There's no way he'll get away with all four of us there tracking him." Steve looked and Chin and shook his head that was the exact opposite of what he wanted.

"While I have no doubts that we could and would succeed in taking Wo Fat down together as a team, I need you guys here backing up Danny. I'm not completely sure that Wo Fat isn't going to send someone after Danny and the kids, or even his parents." Kono got a grim look on her face and Steve could tell that she was angry. Kono didn't take people messing with her ohana lightly.

"Sure thing boss, nobody's gonna mess with our ohana. You've got my word." Kono added a scary look of determination spread across her tan face. While Steve felt reassured at her words and knew that she would do anything and everything in her power to make sure that Danny and the family were okay.

"When do you leave?" Chin asked his eyes locked on Danny who was quietly sitting to Steve's right focused on the table in front of him. Chin was like an older brother to Danny and felt the need to protect both Danny and Kono as much as he could.

"Soon, the less you know the better. I don't want you guys to possibly have to lie for me."

"Have you told Deb and Denny?" Kono asked looking up at Steve nervously; she knew that if Wo Fat was willing to come after Danny and the kids, he wouldn't think twice about going after Danny's parents and that thought angered Kono. She had come to think of Danny's parents as part of their family and she didn't take too kindly to people messing with her family. Steve looked at Danny, who had taken to staring off into the ocean his blue eyes looking lost and unsure.

"They're next on the list because we need to figure out what we're going to tell them first. I don't want them to know just how dangerous Wo Fat is and the danger that could happen. I want them to continue living their lives as if nothing is going on."

"Tell them you've been called by the Navy." Chin offered. "If you tell them that the Navy called and asked if you could help because you have personal ties to the case they wouldn't think anything was up. They would think that you were simply going to do a routine thing that you had done countless times while a SEAL." Steve looked over at Danny, who was still lost in his own head and thought about for a moment.

"That's perfect, thanks Chin." Chin nodded and glanced at Danny. Steve and Chin locked eyes for a few moments seeming to be having a conversation. After a few moments Chin nodded and Steve relaxed just a tad, Chin would make sure that Danny didn't get too lost in his head.

A silence fell among them as they contently sat out on the lanai the waves crashing over them. They had no idea what was going to happen once Steve actually left, so they were more than happy to sit and enjoy the quiet together. Hopefully it wouldn't the last time they were able to do so.

Steve knew that telling the team was the easy part. They understood why Steve was going after Wo Fat; they had history with Wo Fat and Victor Hesse so it's easily understood. Danny's parents on the other hand wouldn't understand, they wouldn't understand why Steve is leaving his family to chase after some guy that is just making threats to hurt them. They won't understand why Steve has to be the one that goes after Wo Fat, which is what makes telling Danny's parents about what's going on that much harder.

"I don't think we should tell them about the photos." Danny quietly spoke as they made their way through the quiet streets towards Deb and Denny's house. Steve briefly glanced over at Danny not sure if Danny had more to say or not. "We can leave that part out. I know that it's horrible to even think about lying to them, but it's for the best. They don't need to know that he's threatening to come after the kids and them. I don't want to scare my parents into thinking they have to constantly look over their shoulders."

"The last thing I want to do is scare your parents Danny. If that's what you want to tell them than that's what we'll tell them. It sounds more believable and understandable if the Navy called to see if I wanted in on catching him. I would rather not tell them about my parents, it's better to keep them in the dark about who Wo Fat really is." Danny nodded reaching over and taking Steve's hand. Danny's hand was going to be Steve's lifeline through the next hour.

As if she could read their minds, Deb was waiting at the front door for them when they pulled into the drive. She smiled softly as they got out of the car and magnetically moved towards each other their arms brushing as they walked briskly towards the house. "Hey ma." Danny greeted reaching over to kiss Deb's cheek. "Pop outside with the kids?" She nodded as she pulled Steve into a much needed hug. "We need to talk to you guys about something." Deb nodded again and watched as Steve made his way towards the patio doors with Danny following directly behind him.

"Daddy! Danno!" Grace exclaimed when she caught sight of Steve and Danny. She took a running leap into Steve's waiting arms making Steve chuckle and smile.

"Hey Gracie." Danny didn't hesitate to pick Nathan up so that he could wrap his arms around Danny's neck.

"Hey buddy, having fun with Nonna and Nonno?" Nathan beamed and nodded at Danny so happy to see his parents. Without a word, they switched kids each basking in the warmth and happiness they exuded.

"Hey Gracie, we need to talk to Nonna and Nonno, so do you think that you and Nate will be okay watching some cartoons for a little bit?" Steve asked bending down so that he was at her level. Grace looked between the two of them and nodded, having a feeling that there was something serious going on.

"Sure daddy, come on Nate. Let's go see if SpongeBob is on."

"Bob!" Nathan exclaimed grabbing Grace's hand and walking into the house. Denny smiled at Danny and patted both him and Steve on the back as they made their way into the house.

"Everything okay son?" Denny asked as they made their way into the kitchen. Danny nodded and looked over at Steve who was trying to give Denny and Deb a reassuring smile.

"We need to talk to you guys about something." Danny started not really having a clue as to how they even begin to tell Danny's parents about all of this.

"I got a phone call from an old SEAL buddy of mine saying they were going on a mission, and he wanted to know if I wanted in. I have some personal ties to this mission so I decided that I would lend them my services."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm going to be gone for a little while. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I really want to see this mission through. The most I can say is that it's an unfinished mission that I really want to see finished."

"There's something you're not telling us though." Deb probed, knowing from raising four kids that they were keeping something from her.

"Yes there is, but I can't tell you. I don't want to put you in any type of danger or anything. I know that you deserve more, that I should tell you more. But I can't, so I just need to know that you understand that I have to do this. The last thing I want to do right now is leave Danny and the kids, but for my own personal needs I have to do this." Danny squeezed Steve's hand as Steve's voice broke. He was wondering when the full magnitude of this whole situation was going to hit Steve.

"I understand Steve; we're here for you and we support you." Steve nodded, the lump in his throat proving to be too much for him to speak.

"I assume you haven't told the kids yet?" Deb asked reaching out to squeeze Steve's forearm.

"We wanted to tell you guys first. We're gonna tell them later this afternoon."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow afternoon." Steve lied, knowing that the less they knew the better. They nodded each taking their turn to hug Steve and wish him well.

Steve soaked up their warmth, not knowing for certain if he was coming back or not. It was hard to look at someone you had grown so close to and know that you might not ever see them again. For some unknown reason it was hitting Steve a lot harder this time than any other time he had had to leave before. Deb held Steve a little bit tighter for a little bit longer having a sense that he needed the extra love.

Danny watched his mom wrap Steve into a hug and felt his throat tighten, and his stomach clench. It was finally hitting him; he might never get to see a moment like this again. He looked at Steve and it was if the same thoughts were running through their heads. It was during this moment that Danny decided that they would tell the kids with Deb and Denny right there; it would be easier for the kids to understand if they saw that everyone was supporting Steve. Grace would take it the hardest, not only because she was the oldest and remembered Steve's stint in North Korea, but because she had a sixth sense for when things were wrong.

"Get the kids Steve, we might as well just tell them now." The 'before you leave' part left unsaid. They had precious time before Steve had to leave, since they were leaving in the middle of the night to avoid Wo Fat hearing anything about Steve's plan. Steve seemed to freeze at Danny's words but when he came back to himself he nodded and went off to get the kids.

Danny was right; it was much harder to tell the kids. Grace had a look on her face that said that she saw through everything that Steve was telling them. Nathan became quiet and subdued even asking Steve is he really had to go. Danny knew how close Nathan and Steve were and it killed him to see Nathan think that Steve was leaving him too. Danny reassured Nathan before passing him off to Steve, who was more than happy to just hold on to Nathan as long as possible. Grace was visibly upset but held her tears in until Steve was distracted by Nathan's mini-meltdown. She took one look at Danny and he was pulling her into his arms and out of the room, allowing her the opportunity to cry in peace. He knew that ever since her meltdown with Rachel, she tried to be strong for Steve and Danny loved Grace so much for thinking she had to be strong for them.

Things seemed to quiet down after awhile and before Danny knew it; it was time for Steve to hit the road. Quietly they crept out of the house and in the car, the ride to the air field going much quicker than usual due to the lack of traffic on the roads. Danny didn't speak at all during the ride, allowing Steve the opportunity to get his head in the game. It wasn't until they reached the sitting plane that Danny decided to break the silence.

"Do you have everything?" Danny asked as Steve was looking through his bag to double check that he had all his gear.

"Yeah."

"Be careful okay? I know that you're highly trained and everything, but just remember you have someone to come home to this time. You have people waiting on you and as much as I want you to finally end this sick game, I want you home in one piece."

"I promise Danny, I'll do whatever it takes to come home." Steve cupped Danny's cheek with his hand rubbing his thumb over Danny's slight stubble. "I'll check in as often as I can so that you don't worry about me and I'll make sure that I won't do anything with some type of backup. I'm coming back Danny, I promise."

"You better or else I'm gonna bring you back to life and kill you myself." Steve smiled and leaned down giving Danny a chaste yet passionate kiss.

"I love you."

"Love you too babe, go be a big bad SEAL." Steve smiled and nodded giving Danny one more kiss before making his way over towards his team. They shared one last look before Steve boarded the plane leaving Danny by himself on the tarmac.

He waited to leave until long after the plane had left and as he drove off he knew that this was going to be the life altering event. He just didn't know which side he was going to come out on.

_**Endnote: That is a sort of mini-cliff hanger. I decided to split the chapter up because I didn't want it to get too long and I wanted to give you guys something in the meantime. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and like always don't hesitate to let me know what you thought. Until next time ~thatredheadgirl~ **_


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